What kind of processing is the 'ukigami' mentioned in the celebratory money envelope description?
When seeing an unfamiliar processing term written in a product description, you may wonder how the texture of the paper surface is created.
Ukigami is a technique that clearly raises three-dimensional relief on the surface of paper, creating a deep texture with sharp outlines on traditional washi paper.
Ukigami (浮き紙), true to the meaning of its Chinese characters, refers to a processing method that raises patterns or contours prominently on the surface of paper. Unlike standard embossing that merely presses and imprints paper by applying pressure, it is a method that brings out the paper's fiber texture to shape a unique three-dimensional feel.
The relief on the washi paper of this celebratory money envelope is completed with the ukigami technique devised by Yamatsugi Seisakusho (山次製作所), and is characterized by outlines whose edges do not become blunt and instead stand out clearly[1]. The ukigami relief engraved directly into Echizen washi (越前和紙) itself and the printed relief on the paper band, which is coated sheet-by-sheet with gold foil, harmonize to create a varied three-dimensional feel that can be felt by fingertips and eyes[2].
hmmm, instead of flamboyant colors, it reveals neat dignity using solely the heights of the paper and the shadows cast by light.
The specific manufacturing process used to engrave the relief onto the paper and maintain sharp edges with the ukigami technique has not yet been confirmed.