Gampi Papers

The Chinese characters for gampi literally translates as  "goose skin". This paper is sometimes referred to as "silk tissue".

Paper Connection's Gampi Collection is made from 100% gampi, a lustrous, silky fiber native to Japan and other parts of Asia. Both in its sheet form or in the raw fiber form, gampi by its natural make-up reacts to ink as if it had sizing on it.  In other words, it holds ink on its crisp, smooth surface beautifully.  At Paper Connection, we call it the "queen of printmaking". 

All of our gampi sheets were made in Kōchi Prefecture, located on the island of Shikoku, in southwestern Japan.  Gampi fiber comes from the inner bark of branches of the gampi bush. Since it is difficult to cultivate, it is obtained from wild plants, therefore paper is especially coveted.  Although some thinner gampi sheets seem fragile, each sheet is extremely strong and impervious to insects.

Historically, gampi was used for mimeographs.  Today, with its high quality finish, the uses have expanded to chine collé, etching, lithograph, monotypes, relief, offset and inkjet printing, as well as model-making- like those paper balloons...  It's incredibly strong; much stronger than it looks!

We stock Usuyou Gampi @ 10g/m² in white and natural in sheets 24.8” x 37”  and now both of these  gampi papers stocked in 10-meter rolls!

We also stock sheets of pre-backed gampi or Gampi Sukiawase.   100% gampi surface with a mixed pulp backing.

These work well for intaglio; really any kind of relief printmaking.  Style # M-0227 80g/m² Natural.  #M-0229 white 100g/m² .   Both are 24.8 x 37 inches.   Two other weights of limited edition gampi sheets in stock as well.