Hello there! I'm wondering if anyone might be able to identify these little items I found at my University's surplus store (basically a secondhand shop) a little while ago among a box among a bunch of late 1980's travel ephemera (brochures, maps, postcards, and such) from Japan. I figure it's most likely Japanese in origin, but another item from that box that I asked about on r/translator turned out to be Chinese and from 2004. So these could potentially be Chinese and/or from later than the 1980's as well.
They are small square purple sheets (20cm x 20cm) with a white floral design on them that are folded into quarters. The material is some sort of fiberous paper. It's only printed on one side (the second photo is the back of one of the sheets).
Any information you have or links to information resources regarding the item would be greatly appreciated! I am very curious to learn more about them! Thank you!!
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Printed serviettes somone thought were pretty?
Yeah that's probably the most likely thing given that it's pretty fibrous. The only bit throwing me off is that the paper doesn't seem particularly absorbent. It's got an almost waxy sort of quality to it. But maybe aesthetics were prioritized over effectiveness here.
ETA: Forgot to say thank you, oops! Thank you!!
Based off the description (waxy, tough/hard to tear, non absorbent, fibrous), it looks very similar to washi paper. Generally, washi of that size (20cm x 20cm) might be used as a packing material, or something you could wrap luxury goods with to pump up the presentation factor. I've used it as wrapping material when sending gifts, and it has the same transparency as the squares you posted.
Just looked up washi paper and it definitely does look similar! I'd heard of washi tape before, but didn't know washi paper was a thing somehow. I'll have to go out and try to find some near me to compare the actual feel, but I think that's likely what this is! Thank you! Solved!
Welcome! Also it makes for lousy stationary, fountain ink feathers a ton, it's why I repurposed mine into packing material
While I can't really help, I can tell you that the flowers for the pattern wisteria flowers.
That's very interesting to know. Thank you!
They look like napkins or are used as embroidery templates.
Like you embroidered over the pattern and then ripped the rest of the surrounding paper off when done.
I think they're a tad too thick to tear effectively, so napkins is probably more likely. Thank you!
Napkins for a luncheon. Maybe a wedding, bridal shower.
origami paper?
It's what they were wrapping breakables in back then, when you bought stuff that was breakable. At least in Misawa. Probably still are.
Oh that sounds like it would make sense! It's rather soft because it's so fiberous so I could see it being well suited to protective wrapping for small ceramics or the like. Would you happen to know if this sort of material has a name so I can search up more information about it? Thank you!
No, I don't think I ever even thought about whether or not it had a name, it was just wrapped around the teacups I bought for my mom.
My title describes the thing. Already tried searching with Google Lens and some basic Google keyword searches (i.e. "fiber paper japan floral") but I didn't find anything. I just don't think I know enough about this thing to put together a good search query.
These were found among a box among a bunch of late 1980's travel ephemera (brochures, maps, postcards, and such) from Japan.
could it be fancy blotting paper like for cosmetics? Or something that would be used decoratively to protect a gift (think like tissue paper)?
I ran a few more Google lens searches with "wisteria" as a keyword (thanks to u/jivedinmypants!!) and finally got an image of what looks like the same item! But, it looks like it was just posted as a random tweet with literally zero other context. So it might be a dead end unfortunately. Gonna link the tweet (via Nitter because I don't actually use Twitter/X/whatever) in case anyone wants to sleuth on it: https://nitter.net/policefala/status/1990843119017890119#m
https://preview.redd.it/aswi4068eg7g1.png?width=1114&format=png&auto=webp&s=27223b3be9523831062ea834dc13e5b766b7934c
Could they be iron on transfers? You put the design face down on the fabric you want it to be on, and apply the iron (usually with a cotton cloth as a buffer between the paper and the iron) and then it leaves behind the flower design. The paper is disposable after that, but it is made to be peeled off after the design transfers. Could have been from a kit, a magazine, a sample page, or even a larger pack of designs.
Origami paper?
I can see why you'd think that... but I don't think this is that. This is way too thin, you can see the carpet through the paper. Also unless it's origami paper for something specific, the placement of the pics rule that out. Plain colors or full on patterns are better and more common cuz then you're not worrying about where the icons are going to land when you're folding.
They're way thinner and have a different texture compared to any origami paper I've come across before but I'm no origami expert. So not entirely impossible, but I think it's a bit unlikely. Thank you regardless!
Edit: meant to say "way thinner" not "way thicker", oops!