No such thing as too much washi tape?

No such thing as too much washi tape?

Yeah that's so true. And if you don't believe us, read on to find a 100 (okay, not 100 but still many) ways to use your existing stash.

Lots of washi
But for those new to washi, let's start with what exactly is it? Washi tape is a thin, decorative crafting tape made of traditional Japanese paper (wa-Japanese, shi-paper), known for being easily repositionable, easy to tear and the beautiful designs that they are available in. That last part makes it extremely easy to build a huge collection very quickly because of the wide range of designs and colours they are available in. But that's alright because it is also super versatile in terms of uses, whether in journalling, scrapbooking or any crafts. The important thing is your collection is used and not gathering dust in a drawer. We bring to you a whole range of suggestions in this blogpost on how to get more out of your collection. 

What are the different types of washi tape?

You can classify washi in many different ways, and it's important because it helps you choose what you want based on what you need it for. 

By material - "Washi" has become a common term to describe any decorative tape, even though originally washi tape is supposed to be made of washi paper. So you may come across "washi tape" made of washi paper or even decorative PET tape being referred to as "washi". If you are after true washi, its ideal to check the material before you buy. Washi paper tape will be easy to tear by hand and semi opaque while PET tape will typically have some clear parts and will need a scissors to cut. 

By width - Washi tape typically comes in 3 types of width,

  • Slim (typically 5mm wide) 
  • Medium (15-20mm wide) 
  • Wide (25mm+) 

By style - There is such a wide range of styles but broadly can be grouped as,

  • Solid colour - Single coloured in every hue you can think of, great staple for colour themed pages, for labeling and more 
  • Patterned (grid, dotted, striped) - Another staple in your collection as grid or dotted patterns are great for layering or sticking other artefacts 
  • Motifs - Flowers, animals, things, any object you can imagine can be found on a washi tape somewhere. Great for themed journal pages or crafting. Can also be used to cut out individually as stickers. 
  • Scenes - Beautiful scenes recreated on washi make it irresistible to not add to your collection. Vintage, botanical and nature themes are popular but it can really be anything. 

Die-cut, metallic or foil accented and glitter are other types of washi tape designs, because even sky is not the limit to these designs. 


So what do I do with all my washi ?

Let's start with two most common uses - journalling and crafting.

Journalling and Scrapbooking: There are countless ways to use tapes in your journalling practice,

  • Borders/ Headers/Page section markers
  • Individual stickers 
  • Photo frames/ photo corners/ stick memos etc
  • Washi banners!
  • Photo shadows
  • A (rainbow) washi tape collage background
  • Page tabs
  • Page tip-ins 
  • Page backgrounds (collage or use to mask)

Crafting: Get crafty and decorate just about anything with pretty washi tape!

  • Add some washi to your gift wrapping to show you care a little extra, create simple gift tags or use some washi to make easy handmade greeting cards
  • Washi is truly a DIY crafts staple given how easy it is to use and how pretty the designs are. Add it to jazz up your stationery, home decor crafts, or keep the kids busy with washi kids crafts.
  • Create labels with washi tape (see more below on how to do this)


So promise us now that you will no longer just hoard your tapes, but USE THEM!

And finally if you are inspired enough, here is sneak peek into highlights of our current collection. 

MT Kamoi Kamoshi

The OG of washi tape from Japan, that started by making fly trap paper and industrial tape and switched gears to masking tape based on crafters feedback in 2008. Super quality and the widest designs in this category. Here are a few of our favourites,

MT Ganshin series - 

  • Medium 15mm width
  • Vibrant, saturated solid colours
  • We have 8 colours you can choose from
  • Must have staple in your collection

MT Ex Colour Series

  • Single colour tapes with a twist
  • Each design features a collection of objects in same colour family
  • Great for creating colour themed pages / crafts

MT Hougan

  • 15mm grid patterned washi paper tape
  • There is a reason why grid patterns are super popular in the journaling community.
  • Quick and clean vintage aesthetics, these are great for sticking ephemera, layering, sectioning, basically anything!

MT Slim 

  • Slim 6mm width
  • Available in the ex series as well as grid patterns
  • Great for creating sections / borders

Check out the entire MT Kamoi Kamoshi collection here. 

 

King Jim

Japanese stationery with innovation, King Jim offers unique products like pre-cut and portable washi stickers with Kitta and easy to reposition SODA tape series, all in playful designs. 

King Jim SODA 20mm

  • Medium width clear PET tape
  • Options we offer include die cut designs and a glitter infused design
  • Great for layering or decoration crafts

King Jim KITTA

  • Small strips of washi stickers
  • Easy to carry in a handy package
  • Patterns align together to make long strips

Check out the entire King Jim collection here. 

 

BGM Life

BGM is another Japanese stationery brand known for their stunning designs, with a stated goal to bring joy to the daily life (we are aligned! :))

BGM Clear

  • Choose from
    • 5mm Slim patterns
    • or Stained Glass medium width
  • Clear PET tape
  • Patterns work well for accents, while the Stained Glass series is perfect to create whole themed pages

BGM Sparkling Sugar Check

  • Available as 20mm medium width washi tape
  • Inspired by sugar candy, the tape comes in candy colours, checkered patterns and glitter resembling shiny sugar sprinkled all over

Check out the entire BGM Life collection here.

 

Special mention - Perfect Washi companion - Shachihata Jikakeru pen!

  • Washi can be hard to write on due to a waxy coating on top that makes it water resistant and easy to peel
  • This pen works like a charm when brushed over the washi paper and creates a base to allow writing on top
  • Perfect companion to your washi stash and helps you get more use as labels
  • Colourless and leaves no trace

 

We will have this available in our next drop, subscribe below to our newsletter to know when it becomes available. 

 

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