In representational origami, there is usually a point where standard origami papers do not cover all the needs of the advanced folder. They tear easily after several creases, or their dimensions, thickness and colors do not match the desired subject. This leads origami enthusiasts in search of better materials, including making their own double tissue or using handmade papers. In both cases, the paper needs to be treated with a substance that enhances its ability to hold creases and maintain a given shape such as methylcellulose (MC) or polyvinyl acetate (PVA). What if I tell you that it’s also possible to treat papers using the mucilage of orchids?
About Sizing
In the papermaking vocabulary, the addition of substances like those mentioned above to a sheet is known as “sizing,” and its primary purpose is to increase water repellency. The inclusion of a size or sizing agent is directly related to the paper’s quality as it influences its strength and how well it retains a pigment, or in our case, a fold. The size can be mixed with the pulp before sheet formation (internal sizing) or applied over finished sheets (external or surface sizing). In both cases, origami models often require wet folding, as water temporarily dissolves the sizing, allowing the fibers to be shaped and to retain a given form as the paper dries. Watercolor paper, for example, contains high amounts of internal sizing, meaning it needs only slight dampening for folding. In contrast, tissue and most handmade papers lack internal sizing, making external sizing essential for fold retention and shaping. Sizing is also useful to make multilayered or duo-colored sheets.
Common sizing agents in modern papermaking are synthetic, like MC or alkyl ketene dimers (AKD). However, some widely used natural alternatives include animal-based gelatin as well as corn, rice, wheat and potato starches. Thus, as part of my ongoing academic research on the traditional use of orchids as adhesives in Mexico and elsewhere, I started to experiment with them for treating papers and shaping origami models.
Historic Evidence of Orchid Glue Use
Ancient Mesoamerican tribes used the extract of several orchid species as glue for different crafts, including complex feather work and painting, where it serves as a mordant to improve color fastness. According to the Florentine Codex from the 16th century, the stems of orchids were cut into small pieces, left to dry, powdered, and mixed with water to get the desired consistency. One of the uses of orchid glue that still survives is in the repair of sheets of Mexican bark paper or amate,1 although it is employed differently. In San Pablito, Puebla, the homeland of this unique paper, the Otomis cut the thick stems of a particular orchid species (Cyrtopodium macrobulbon or küiä in the native Ñahnu language) and apply the mucilage directly to damaged areas to adhere small patches of paper on top, resulting in smooth surfaces. Interestingly, in China, the terrestrial orchid called baiji (Bletilla striata) was used traditionally in a similar manner in the making of stone rubbings, which is the practice of transferring the surface features of a stone to paper. To do this, the orchid juice was used to stick the sheets of handmade paper to carved stones followed by the application of ink to create a copy of the engravings, which will be preserved on the paper once detached.
Extracing Mucilage From Orchids
For my experiments, I have used stems (or pseudobulbs) of küiä handed to me by amate makers from San Pablito who cultivate the plants in their workshops and occasionally cut the old stems to promote their growth. First, I clean the stem, removing all the old leaf remnants (sheaths) from the nodes, and peel the outer layer. Then, I cut it into slices with a sharp knife and wrap the pieces in a very porous fabric, such as jute. The hard step is crushing the slices in a mortar, as the thick mucilage makes everything very sticky, so it’s useful to add just a little warm water to facilitate the extraction of the adhesive. After a few rounds of crushing, I transfer the mucilage to a flask. Depending on the size of the stem, I get up to 150 milliliters of mucilage, which can be used immediately or kept in the fridge for at least one month before it starts to ferment. In several of the images accompanying this article, the mucilage looks purple because of the pigments in the fabric I used.
The resulting adhesive has a texture like maple syrup, which is my preferred thickness when using MC. To size papers, I apply a thin layer of mucilage over a glass surface, place the sheet on top, and add a second layer of adhesive all over the paper. For shaping, I use the same thickness without diluting the glue. So far, I have tested the orchid mucilage to size and shape Mexican amate, Agua papel by Fabián Correa, Japanese unryu and handmade paper from Papel Oaxaca by Luis Torres and Alberto Valenzuela, having in all cases very pleasant results.
As with any organic material, it is important to keep the folded models in a stable environment to avoid damage from insects and high humidity. As I live next to a forest in southern Mexico City, I keep all my work in plastic boxes with silica gel sachets, and so far, all folds using the orchid mucilage are in great condition.
An important point I would like to make is that with this story, I don’t want to suggest you should harvest all orchids around you to size your papers. Orchid plants usually grow in very delicate conditions, and many species are threatened by biological or anthropological factors thus requiring protection by local governments. As mentioned earlier, the stems I use come from plants cultivated in San Pablito by amate makers, who have found sustainable ways to harvest them. Thus, if you ever want to try the methods described here, you might use Cymbidium hybrids, which are propagated artificially in lab conditions and widely sold in supermarkets and plant stores all around the world.
In conclusion, the ancient Mesoamerican and Asian technique of extracting mucilage from orchid plants offers an exotic alternative to MC and PVA to size papers for folding and shaping origami models. If you ever experiment with the orchids available in stores near you, please let me know about your experience! You can get in touch via the webmail form on my website. Let’s keep these traditions alive!
Cekouat León
Departamento de Botánica
Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
cekouatorigami.com
1. An article I wrote, “Unfolding Amate: History and Innovations of an Ancient Paper,” appeared in The Paper Issue 14 (Summer 2023). [back]