Have you always wanted to try origami but don’t know where to begin? You don’t need to invest in fancy books or high-quality paper, especially if you are just practicing. There are a ton of amazing substitutes for origami paper around you, and we’ll be taking a look at some of the best substitutes for origami paper that you can find right in your home.
Origami is a traditional practice involving folding pieces of paper into various shapes and forms. This practice is hundreds of years old, dating back to Japan’s Edo period (1603 to 1867).
Traditional Japanese origami paper has a distinctly smooth and crisp feel, and its luxurious thickness allows it to hold shapes brilliantly. However, having this kind of paper is definitely not a must when you want to do origami.
However, modern origami enthusiasts can create beautiful paper models using various materials. In fact, you can find quality origami materials in many of the papers that you can easily find around the house or in most craft stores!
So what are the best substitutes for origami paper? A quality replacement for origami paper should be light and easy to bend, and it should be able to offer structural integrity to your creations. Great alternatives include book pages, gift wrapping paper, and newspapers, among others.
With some practice, you can transform ordinary paper around you into beautiful and functional origami figures. The type of paper that you use can sometimes even add interesting designs and unique touches to your creations.
The Best Substitutes For Origami Paper
1. Book Pages
For an elegant origami project, consider using book pages! If there is a book that has a special significance to you, then choosing a page from that will make your project more meaningful.
Turning book pages into origami is a brilliant way to recycle old books that will otherwise sit around collecting dust. You can use book pages as origami paper by cutting the pages into a square shape and folding it into a new form. If the paper is sturdy enough to bend and fold, then you will have beautiful origami creations with a unique touch.
If you don’t want to tear into your personal library, you can always find old books for free or at an extremely low price at yard sales, thrift stores, and used books stores. Used books can give your origami a distinctly antique-chic and rustic look, and it helps that you can save a ton of money at the same time!
2. Gift Wrapping Paper
Gift wrapping paper is often only used once when it is used to wrap a present, and when it has fulfilled its purpose, it is torn apart and goes straight to the recycling bin.
Around the holidays, most of us have an abundance of gift wrapping paper around the house. If you are extra careful when opening a present, you can totally save the gift wrapping paper and turn it into origami later on!
Gift wrapping paper is a great alternative to origami paper because it is already printed with interesting visual designs, which can create an appealing look for your origami creations.
Keep in mind that not every type of gift wrapping paper can be used for origami. You should look for a paper that is thick enough to have structural integrity but not too thick that it can’t be folded multiple times.
You can also buy gift wrapping paper in most craft stores and cut it into small squares in order to turn them into origami paper, which will work really well if you need to make a bigger piece of origami that requires a substantial amount of paper to fold.
3. Junk Mail Flyers
It’s always annoying when you get junk mail, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find a purpose for it instead of throwing it in the recycling bin.
Some take-out menus are printed on glossy paper that can be easily folded and turned into origami. Mail that is printed on white US paper can even be painted after you’ve finished folding it. That way, you can save the planet and save yourself some money while practicing your origami skills.
4. Kraft Paper
If you love a rustic look, or you just want to practice, you can use Kraft Paper, which is sold in large quantities at a very affordable price. Kraft paper is a bit thicker than copy paper, but it is still very easy to fold and, at the same time, structurally sturdy.
This is an affordable option if you want to up your origami game, and it can even produce a distinctly cottage-core look that is unmatched by other origami paper options.
5. Newspaper
Newspapers are only used the day of, and then they are thrown in the bin the next day. If you are subscribed to a daily newspaper, why not save them and turn them into beautiful origami?
Newspapers can also have sentimental value. If you are making decor items for a wedding, for example, you can use newspapers from a key date of the couple’s lives to make your origami extra special.
Keep in mind that newspaper can be a bit thinner than regular copy paper, so if you want to use newspaper, it’s best to use smaller squares so that your origami can hold shape.
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