Korean mulberry paper and everyday products that use it are on view at Paperworld, an international trade fair for paper and stationery, in Frankfurt, Germany.

Forty-three kinds of Korean mulberry paper, hand-made by Korean artisans, are on display.

Two products using the paper have been selected as the highlights of the trade fair’s Asia Design Excellence exhibition, organized by the German Design Council.

Korean mulberry paper, called “hanji” in Korean, was widely used for brushwork calligraphy until western ink pens and paper came into fashion.

Paperworld is one of the world’s biggest fairs for paper, stationery and office supplies. Last year, it attracted more than 17,000 brands and 45,000 buyers.

This year, Korean exhibitors are attempting to change the perception of mulberry paper as something that tears easily by displaying design products made from mulberry paper. 


The products range from window blinds, lamps, accessories and sneakers to furniture, which was nominated for the Hanji Product Contest in Korea. The contest, organized by the Korean Culture Ministry-affiliated Korea Craft and Design Foundation, awards creative mulberry paper crafts and design products to promote the use of the handmade paper.

The two products receiving the Asia Design Excellence spotlight are hanji puzzles made by studio23, and hanji stationery and hanji clocks by Ugleebasement.

The hanji puzzles consist of word blocks made from mulberry paper for children. The lightness and softness of the blocks make it safe for children to play with, while the rough yet pliable surface of the paper give them a fabric-like feel.

Design house Ugly Basement exhibits home decor made from mulberry paper, including a pendulum clock, which comes with several cover designs, and a mulberry paper flower vase inspired by Joseon-era ceramics.

Some of the notable products also include the mulberry paper window blinds on which designer Kim Hye-shin painted a landscape and a durable mulberry paper container HAAM, both of which won last year’s Hanji Product Contest.

Paperworld, which began on Jan. 25, ends Tuesday.

By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)