Washi tape is one of those things people buy before they know what it's for. It's in the basket because the pattern was nice, and then it sits in a drawer while you wait to think of an occasion worthy of it.
There isn't really an occasion. Washi tape is one of the most useful things in a stationery drawer precisely because it's low commitment. Here's what it actually is, and the things people who use it properly do with it.
What is washi tape?
Washi tape is a decorative paper tape with a low-tack adhesive, originally made in Japan from natural fibres like bamboo, hemp or mulberry bark.
Two things make it different from ordinary sticky tape. It's made from paper rather than plastic, so it tears by hand without scissors. And the adhesive is deliberately weak, so it comes off cleanly rather than being permanent. Those two properties are the reason it's useful for anything at all.
Why is it called washi tape?
"Washi" is the Japanese word for the traditional paper the tape is made from. Put simply, washi tape means paper tape.
The name is literal rather than a brand, in the same way "sticky notes" describes what the thing does. Most washi tape sold today, including outside Japan, is still made in the same tradition, though quality and paper weight vary a lot between cheap and good rolls.
What is washi tape actually used for?
Marking, labelling and decorating things without leaving a permanent trace. If a job needs tape that comes off again, washi tape is usually the right choice.
The main uses, roughly in order of how often people reach for it:
- Journals and planners. Page dividers, section tabs, borders round a layout, securing a ticket stub or photo into a page without glue.
- Book tabs. Folded over a page edge, it makes a removable flag you can write on. We've gone into this properly in our guide to tabbing and annotating books.
- Gift wrapping. Sealing a seam without visible sticky tape, or as the only decoration a plain parcel needs. More on that in our guide to wrapping a gift properly.
- Labelling. Jars, cables, boxes, plant pots. Writable, and it peels off without residue when the label changes.
- Temporary displays. Cards and photos on a wall or mirror, without marking the paint or the paper.
- Colour-coding. A strip along the edge of a notebook or folder so you can find the right one without reading the spine.
- Craft projects. Scrapbooking, card making, and mixed media work, where a plain edge of colour is often all a page needs.
The common thread through all of it is temporary and decorative. If something needs to be permanent or load-bearing, use proper tape instead.
Washi tape vs masking tape: what's the difference?
They're closely related, but washi tape is generally thinner, more decorative, and made from finer paper. Masking tape is thicker, usually plain, and made to be tougher.
In practice the line has blurred, since a lot of what's sold as washi tape now is really a decorated masking tape. For anything delicate like a page in a book, look for tape described as thin or low-tack specifically, since a heavier tape is more likely to leave a mark on thin paper.
Does washi tape stick to anything?
It sticks well to paper, card and most smooth, clean, dry surfaces. It sticks poorly to anything dusty, oily, textured or damp, and it isn't meant to hold weight.
A few surfaces worth knowing about specifically:
- Watercolour paper. Generally fine, and it's often used to mask off a clean border before painting. Test on a scrap first, since heavily textured paper can tear when the tape comes off.
- Fabric. Holds for a short time but isn't made for it. Fine for a temporary mark, not for anything that needs to survive being worn or washed.
- Walls. Usually safe on painted walls for temporary displays, though always test an unobtrusive patch first, particularly on new paint.
- Skin. Not designed for it, and best avoided even though the low tack makes it tempting for a quick fix.
How long does washi tape last once it's stuck down?
Days to years, depending entirely on the surface and how much you want it to stay put.
On a wall or in a journal you flip through often, it may lift within days simply from handling. Left undisturbed on a clean, dry surface, it can stay for years. It's genuinely repositionable while it's still fresh, but the adhesive does weaken a little each time it's removed and reapplied.
How do you use washi tape if you've never tried it?
Start with one roll and one small job. A journal page, a gift, or a book you're tabbing.
The easiest way in isn't a big project, it's a small repeated one. Tear a length by hand rather than reaching for scissors, since the edge tears cleanly and it's part of the point. Press it down, and if you don't like where it landed, lift it and try again while it's fresh. That's really the whole skill.
A few small tricks that make a big difference once you're comfortable:
- Layer two colours or patterns for a border rather than using one strip on its own
- Cut a V into the end of a strip to turn it into a flag or tab
- Use a thin strip along a straight edge to tidy up a messy line rather than covering the whole area
Our washi tape
We do washi tape in patterns that go with the rest of our range, mostly because the plain pastel stripes everywhere else didn't feel like much of a choice.
It works well alongside our stickers for journals and planners, and it's one of the main things we'd point you at for setting up a planner you'll actually keep using.
Where to start
Buy one roll before you buy five. Use it on something small this week. If you reach for it again without thinking, you'll know it earned its place in the drawer.