Washi tape ideas can vamp up your everyday items and personal space. Various stationery items such as double-sided tape, fabric tape, and masking tape all have their own particular uses. Similarly, washi tape also provides various benefits and uses. These include easy bullet journal ideas, decorative home items, and other craftsmanship projects.
Due to their durability and versatility, washi strips have become the staple of any avid stationery lover’s collection or a homeowner who appreciates multipurpose items. Whether you wish to learn more about washi tape or start your own DIY project at home, this guide will help you acquire creative ideas and tips.
What is Washi Tape?
Washi tape is a waterproof, decorative type of masking tape made of bamboo, tree pulp, and other biodegradable materials. It comes in various colors and distinct patterns that other types of adhesives rarely do. More than looking pretty and striking, washi tapes are also durable and practical stationery materials because they can be reused in many ways. With just your hands, you can easily tear your washi strip and stick them on pretty much any material or surface. In turn, this makes them extremely versatile and perfect for resourceful folks who enjoy multipurpose materials.
Any avid stationery user would be familiar with how washi tape is known to have originated from Japan. The Japanese word, “washi”, refers to Japanese paper. Notably, paper crafting is one of the most well-known industries in the Land of the Rising Sun. In turn, this craft tape perpetuated through generations—with its manufacturing procedures preserved and adapted. Today, this traditional Japanese tape has reached different parts of the world as it has turned into one of the most practical and versatile stationery materials that people can use with and on anything.
What is Washi Tape Used For?
Due to its durability and distinct designs, washi strips can be used in many ways. For one, many people are familiar with how this paper tape can be used for arts and crafts. These include cards, gift wrappers, scrapbooking, and other DIY washi tape art. On another note, many people also use this stationery item to create various home and office decor. Washi tape can be used to create wall art and other projects that can instantly and easily vamp up your space.
Aside from these common uses, washi strips can also be utilized in pretty much anything you can think of. Without a doubt, the sky’s the limit when it comes to learning and adapting washi tape uses. It can be used in a multitude of ways, especially in craft-making, stationery, and other practical uses that you need.
How to Use Washi Tape
Washi Tape Crafts
Greeting Cards
Undoubtedly, there are lots of commercial greeting cards that you can buy in physical stores or even online. While these are great gift options, making a card of your own will also surely go a long way in showing your loved one that you care. This will also make them appreciate not only your present, but also the time and effort you allotted in creating it.
With washi strips, you can easily and beautifully make greeting cards for any occasion. This cute stationery item can instantly add flair and design to your washi tape cards. We suggest opting for designs that relate to the purpose of your gift if you don’t wish to worry much about creating your own designs. For birthdays, opt for fun designs that give a festive feel. Don’t be scared to go all out with shine and glitter by using sparkly washi strips!
Bullet Journal
There are endless possibilities when it comes to customizing your bullet journal. With washi adhesives, this process is made even easier and quicker. With a simple tear and stick, you can instantly up your BuJo look. Not to mention, various designs of this stationery tape are fun and cool to look at. You will definitely enjoy playing around with your washi tape bullet journal’s layouts and overall look.
DIY Gift Wrappers
You can also make great gift wrappers with fun, quirky washi strips. If you want to recycle old gift wrappers or even unused paper materials, you can make use of this stationery tape to make them look brand new. If you have a plain wrapper, you can play around with washi adhesives and create your own patterns or designs. Moreover, opting for sparkly or patterned tapes can make your gift look even more eye-catching and distinct. While you’re at it, you can also create a customized greeting card to go with your present!. These ideas will surely make your loved one happy on any occasion or time of the year.
Envelopes
Without a doubt, envelopes carry meaningful messages that we wish to convey to the most special people in our lives. Of course, your best friends and family deserve only the best. Turn a simple envelope into a more amazing and special one with some washi strips. Easter or Christmas coming up? You can opt for designs that align with the special occasion. Want to add some personality to your envelopes? Personalize them with cute elements that your friend, family member, or special someone will simply love such as dogs, flowers, or stars!
Labels
If you are an organizing guru, you can certainly take inspiration from this unique washi tape idea. Using a label-maker, you can further customize the tags or labels at home with the washi strips that you have. This durable, versatile tape will surely be perfect for identifying pretty much everything in your home.
Scrapbook
Scrapbooking is fun but can also be quite draining to do. Indeed, turning blank leaves of paper into eye-appealing pages require so much effort and time. With washi tapes, the tedious process of decorating can be reduced significantly. Ready-made patterns and designs can let you style your scrapbook with ease. If you wish to make a travel scrapbook, going for a washi tape set related to holidays and vacations can easily let you design your project. For animal lovers out there, there are also lots of adorable animal-themed designs that will leave you gushing. Above all, washi adhesives also let you stick photos, receipts, tickets, and other important memorabilia that you wish to organize and treasure forever.
Nail Designs
High costs and busy schedules may get in the way of your nail treatment plans. Fret not, for you can always get your nails dolled up in the comforts of your home with some washi tape! This adhesive is so easy to customize, but is still very much durable. Using shiny or glittery washi strips for your designs can also give you an instant nail salon-level look.
Writing Tools
With just some Japanese paper tape, you can easily stylize your writing tools. For instance, basic-looking pens can look more striking with adorable washi patterns. You can also turn your boring pencils into more kawaii (cute) ones by sticking Japanese tape of various colors and styles.
DIY Notebook Covers
Ready-made notebooks often come in simple and otherwise boring designs. If not, having one with loud colors or striking patterns can also eventually mismatch with your own style. If you find yourself wishing to redecorate the notebook you’ve had for ages, you can always customize it with some washi tapes! You can opt for some black, white, and gold strips that will surely give your notebook a gorgeous, sleek flair. Moreover, you can let your creativity run loose by using bright and random colors that can instantly make your notebook cover look fun and quirky. This simple DIY project is not only enjoyable to do, it also helps you save the environment. Instead of buying new ones, you can always recycle your old notebooks and make it look brand new with Japanese tape of all sorts and sizes.
Washi Tape Decor
Frames
Picture and wall frames can be quite expensive. Not to mention, hauling and attaching them require so much effort and time. With washi tape, you can hang your favorite pictures or artwork easily. You can either make simple designs with basic attachment styles or play around with colors and patterns for truly unique washi tape frames.
Wallpaper
Wall art can be worrying sometimes. Indeed, there’s just something about committing to wall decor for a long time that can bother you. Not to mention, drilling holes into your walls can also be quite stressful—leaving you to ask whatever you’ll do if you do not like the outcome of your initial decor idea. On another note, if you are living in an apartment, you might also be looking for rental-friendly design options that won’t risk you getting your deposit back when you move out. Fortunately, there are lots of impermanent wall art ideas that you can do with just some decorative washi strips.
You can resort to washi tape frames that are easy to install and remove. These are durable and can be customized in various ways, as well. For a narrow wall, you can take inspiration from this simple wall art. This will undoubtedly turn your plain, boring wall into an Instagram-worthy nook. Using various colors can also give your space a pop of color and more personality.
Geometric Furniture Design
Buying furniture can be quite costly. Fortunately, you can always resort to washi adhesives in order to spruce up the current pieces of furniture that you already own. The geometric pattern is one of the most favored washi designs. This is easy to do and most of all, very pretty to look at.
Quirky Shelf Design
Who said shelves can’t look cool and funky? With fun-colored washi adhesives, you can turn a plain, old bookshelf into a much more appealing one. It can instantly make your storage item into a decorative piece, as well. Aside from washi tapes, arrange cool vases, beautiful indoor plants, magazines, and more to add even more style to your shelf.
Stylized Candles
Practicing self care should not fall short on design and aesthetic. With washi strips, you can decorate your scented candles with cool patterns or designs that are relaxing to the eyes. You can also make use of your stylized candles to spruce up any part of your home.
Fun Phone Cases
This one is for the avid hoarders of phone cases. While phone cases are so enjoyable to look at and fun to collect, many would agree that using one design can eventually get boring. This is most especially true for simple, basic styles that look sleek. In the long run, however, they appear dull and rather unexciting. If you have encountered this, you might have to hold off on throwing your old phone cases just yet. Using Japanese paper tape, you can transform dull cases into brand new dashing ones! This is also a great way to personalize your item and have a phone case that only you have.
Customized Chargers
If the phone case idea inspired you, why not go all out and design your other phone accessories as well? Using washi strips with fun styles, you can customize your chargers. Through this, you can’t ever get confused about which adaptor is for your phone, laptop, or any other gadget that you have.
Cool Keyboard Design
Even the best mechanical keyboard needs a little flair sometimes. Customize your plain keyboard with cute washi designs now! You can play around with the colors to make your keyboard look more eye-appealing. Opting for black or shiny textured strips can also give your keyboard a much sleeker and gorgeous feel.
Creative Party Banners
You can also create adorable party flags, banners, and garlands using washi tape! And say goodbye to boring disposable forks and spoons, for you also decorate utensils by sticking them with washi strips of various designs and patterns. With this stationery item, you can vamp up your party decor and items with just a little bit of effort.
Easter Egg Designs
Looking for even more party decor inspiration? e Try creating DIY Easter eggs by using washi strips instead of painting to decorate them! As washi tape is customizable, you can easily create styles that relate to any occasion, event, or party.
Cute Flags for Baked Treats
If you love baking, you might find decorating your treats to be the most fun part of the process. However, there are many decorative baking items that are hard to create or may cost you a lot. With some washi tape and a few basic items such as popsicle sticks, you can create flags to decorate your baked treats. With these, both the young and young-at-heart will certainly adore your baking skills and decorating talents.
Washi Tape Designs and Types
Black
Among the best qualities of washi tapes is that they come in all types of colors and shades that you can think of. These include primary colors, cool or warm shades, bold or subtle tones, and other distinct color combinations that could match your personal preference and liking. Due to the wide range of color options you have, there are truly limitless opportunities when it comes to ideas.
When it comes to colors, you can never go wrong with black. Indeed, this basic color in the form of washi tapes is suitable for anything. With black washi tape, you can have sleeker-looking items and crafts, as well.
Brown
Do you wish to give your crafts an antique feel? With brown washi tape, you can do exactly that. Aside from its antique feel, this color is also subtle—making it easy to pair with pretty much anything. Even with this basic color, you can acquire a distinct design by combining different colors and sticking your adhesives in various ways.
Floral Motifs
When it comes to arts and crafts, you can never go wrong with a little floral flair. In turn, washi strips with floral patterns or motifs such as these are definitely a must-have. They can instantly make your items look prettier and are also great with various DIY projects.
Various Patterns
What makes many stationery lovers rave over washi tapes are their cool, distinct patterns. These include dotted, lined, striped, checkered, and other designs. Moreover, you can also find a physical or online tape store that can create a custom washi tape design according to your own liking. With plaid, geometric, and striped patterns, you can add more character to your items and space. When combined, these different styles can result in a unique and one-in-a-million design from your own creativity.
Studio Ghibli Design
Aside from solid colors and fun patterns, washi tapes also come in well-known themes such as music, film, and food among many others. Live out and extend your cottagecore lifestyle dreams to your stationery projects with designs inspired by Studio Ghibli movies. These particular ones feature the endearing characters from My Neighbor Totoro: Mei and Totoro. With these adorable designs, you can certainly have adorable crafts.
Christmas Pattern
Without a doubt, Christmas is the happiest time of the year. Aside from that, it is also undeniably the busiest. Fortunately, you can make gift-wrapping and present-giving a breeze with holiday-themed washi adhesives that feature the best Christmas movies or iconic elements. With a simple swipe and tear or cut, you can instantly create unique cards and gift wrappers. In fact, you can always have washi strips as one of the best Christmas gift ideas for your loved one who simply appreciates a durable and multifunctional stationery item.
Gold
Just when you thought that you have seen every washi tape design possible, along comes textured washi options. Yes, there are ones that come in waxy, shiny, contoured, smooth, and even glittery textures that are more distinct than the typical paper feel that it has.
You can always go extra with some gold washi tape. While the solid-colored washi strips look amazing, a gold tape with foil texture is also a gorgeous option. When struck with light, the gold foil texture of the washi strip makes it shine. This will surely make even the simplest materials look even more stunning.
Glitter
Many people would agree that when it comes to glitters, you can never have enough. If you’re a fan of shiny things or you simply wish to vamp up your projects, using glitter washi tape is definitely the way to go. With these textured adhesives, you can enhance not only the look—but also the overall feel of your project.
Storage Ideas
Washi tapes are truly cute and fun to decorate with. They may be easy to use, but they just as easily become clutter. In turn, you have to start investing in office storage ideas that can help you organize your washi tape craft supply. If you don’t want to shell out a large amount of money, you can also recycle old items and repurpose them into storage bins for your collection.
Among the best washi tape storage and organization ideas you can try out include:
- Washi Tape Dispenser
- Plastic Washi Tape Holder
- Spool Rack
- Drawer Dividers
- Pencil Case
- Small Wooden Crate
- Unused Box
Now that you know the qualities and uses of washi tape…
We hope that you went beyond understanding its roots and purpose, but also come to appreciate its versatility. And of course, we hope you found some inspiration for your future DIY projects or aspiring stationery collection! With some washi tape and a whole lot of imagination, you can certainly make something that’s worth the while.
