Welcome to a world of timeless beauty and sustainable artistry. At Brand Kashmir, we take immense pride in presenting our exquisite collection of Papier-mâché Christmas decorations crafted by highly skilled Kashmiri artisans. Each piece not only adds charm to your festive season but also embodies the rich cultural heritage of Kashmir.

Kashmiri Papier-mâché

Kashmiri papier-mâché is a handicraft of Kashmir that was brought from Persia in the 14th century to medieval India. It is based primarily on paper pulp and is a richly decorated, colorful artifact, generally in the form of vases, bowls, or cups, with and without metal rims, boxes, trays, bases of lamps, Christmas décor, and many other small objects. These are made in homes and workshops in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir and are marketed both within India and in the international market. The product is protected under the Geographic Indication Act 1999 of the Government of India, and was registered by the Controller General of Patents Designs and Trademarks.

A French Tradition in Kashmir

Papier-mâché is the French word for “chewed paper”, which is a standard English loan word for objects made by molding paper pulp in various shapes. In the figurative sense, the word ‘papier-mâché’ has come to be identified as the art of Kashmir.

A Rich History

The papier-mâché technique of using paper pulp for making decorative objects was first adopted in Kashmir in the 14th century. Internally this art form was called Kar-i-Qalamdan as it was made as pen holders and a few other personal trinkets. Another term used for the art was Kar-i-Munaqqash as it was crafted on smoothly finished surfaces created using paper pulp or on layers of polished paper.  This tradition of using papier-mâché or pulp on woodwork to be colorfully painted with different designs is very much in practice even today. Some of the older designs involved intricate painting of kingfishers, maple leaves, and other designs, such as ‘Arabesque’, ‘Yarkand’, and ‘Hazara’.

The Art and the Artisan

The skilled artisans involved with this painstaking process are called Papier-mâché makers. The materials involved with this process are discarded paper, cloth, straw from the rice plant, which are mixed and made into a pulp.