Lokta paper products are made of bast fibers that are grown in the Himalaya Mountains, Nepal. The heavyweight papers are strong, with a bit of texture, but smooth enough to work with, for instance traditional as well as modern printing methods. Lokta fibers are strong, durable and impervious to insects. Lokta paper is entirely handmade. Large sheets are formed in the high mountains and then processed by village co-operatives, which promote small cottage industries run by women. Each sheet of Lokta paper is handmade and hand-dyed, thus they are subject to slight variation in colour and thickness.