HOME What is Washi Tape and Why Do You Need it? 15 Cute and Easy Projects Made with Japan Souvenirs
What is Washi Tape and Why Do You Need it? 15 Cute and Easy Projects Made with Japan Souvenirs

What is Washi Tape and Why Do You Need it? 15 Cute and Easy Projects Made with Japan Souvenirs

Last updated: 25 October 2019

In the last years, washi tape, simply called masking tape in Japan, has conquered the hearts of DIY enthusiasts all around the world! The reasons for the colorful tape’s success are simple but ingenious: it sticks to almost every surface, it can be freely and creatively combined, and you can peel it off if something went wrong or if you want a new design.

From diaries to interior, Japanese washi tape brings a splash of color and originality to everything you feel like decorating! If you don’t know where to start but would love to try the fun trend for yourself, you’ve come to the right place.

We’ve compiled a couple of easy and quick DIY projects to help you step through the door into a colorful world of tape and creativity!

Handmade Stationary Goods - Pens

Handmade Stationary Goods - Pens

This colorful stationery hack requires a bit of fiddling here and there, but you’ll love the results. We used the washi tape sideways, not lengthwise, to combine designs and colors. Using something like a bobby pin can help applying the tape under the clip. For a bit of extra effort, make sure that the tape ends all align.

Greeting Card

Greeting Card

Much like the gift bag, it’s easy to make a custom, unique greeting card with washi tape. You can either buy a card and fancy it up or make one yourself from colorful cardboard, for example. The design doesn’t have to be complicated – some single strips of tape already turn your card into something special.

Notebook

Notebook

Notebooks are essential for daily life at work, at college, or in school. Why not give some unique personality to your favorite notebook with the help of washi tape? It transforms every run-of-the-mill product into a one-of-a-kind creation! We especially recommend mixing different kinds of colors and patterns, and even add stamps and seals too, to really make your notebook shine.

Bookmark

Bookmark

No more dog ears for your books! All you need is an envelope, the color is entirely up to you! Cut off a corner and decorate it with tape. That’s all there is to it – amazing, right?
Suprisingly enough, it stays whatever the page you are reading and doesn’t fall off easily.

Pyramid-shaped Gift Bag

Pyramid-shaped Gift Bag

This little DIY project is perfect for small gifts, such as a handful of home-made cookies or a gift card. You need pocket envelopes of your desired size, that’s all. The closed bottom part will become the bag, so cut off about half to two-thirds from the bottom. Now, open the envelope and fold it at the top, diagonally to the bottom – to create a pyramid, so to say. Bend a bit of the open top to create a little flap which you can later close with a strip of tape. Decorate your little gift bag with washi tape as you desire!

Binder Clips

Binder Clips

Decorating regular binder clips with masking tape is an easy and subtle way to fancy up your daily life at work, college, or school. We went for a two-tape design, simply wrapping around each strip around the entire clip. It’s up to you whether you want to cover the curled top or not – that’s the only bit that requires a bit of fiddling.

Picture Frame

Picture Frame

We started with a run-of-the-mill picture frame and picked three different masking tapes that’d go nicely with the frame’s beige color. Simply apply the tape to top and bottom and don’t worry if it sticks over the edges. That can easily be fixed with a paper cutter! To make the tape narrower, we simply split a long strip in half with a regular scissor.

Smartphone Case

Smartphone Case

Yes, even your smartphone isn’t safe from a washi tape makeover! We used a transparent, soft case and broad washi tape specially made for interior use, but any kind of washi tape will do. Going for a simple but stylish design, we started with the white flowery tape, putting the case over a ruler to make sure we’re getting a nice 90-degree angle, then did the same with the darker tape.

In our case, we decided against covering the edges of the case (because that’s where it might start to peel off rather quickly from daily use) and used scissors and a paper cutter to get a smooth cut. That’s also how we cut out the hole for the camera – just put a piece of cardboard underneath!

Outstanding Kitchen Goods- Cutlery

Outstanding Kitchen Goods- Cutlery

Every picnic and barbecue can be fancied up a notch with this simple design. It’s really easy – all you need to do is cover the handle with a single strip of tape and it already looks amazing. Whether you cover the back as well or just have time for the front is entirely up to you.

Toothpick Flags

Toothpick Flags

Washi tape transforms every toothpick into an adorable little flag – this easy, quick tip is not just perfect for fancying up snacks but for basically any kind of decoration you can think of! Tape a strip of tape, place the pick in the middle and press it down, then fold the tape over. Don’t be too bothered if you cannot align the edges perfectly – there’s nothing a pair of scissors cannot fix!

Little Mason Jars

Little Mason Jars

Mason jars are a great choice when it comes to decorative storage and, of course, they look even better with a bit of washi tape! In our case, a single strip of tape wrapped around the glass, decorated with a very narrow second tape, makes for a simple but cute design.

Make Your Day! - Keyboard

Make Your Day! - Keyboard

One of our absolute favorite washi tape DIY ideas is decorating your keyboard. Washi tape is perfect for this because it sticks to the keys while you won’t have any issues removing it if you don’t like it anymore.

There are several ways to do this. You can either trace the shape of your keys and cut the tape before sticking it on or do it like we did and first put the washi tape on a key and cut it into the proper shape with a paper cutter. Another method is to stick the tape on, push on the key with a ruler and rip the tape off, smoothing the edges later as desired. This project takes time, admittedly, but the outcome is simply fabulous! Whether you go for one color or prefer a fun, scrambled-style mix of different keys is entirely up to you!

Cable Labels

Cable Labels

Cable clutter is an unfortunate byproduct of owning lots of devices that all require a different charger. Phone, laptop, tablet, you get it. While washi tape can’t solve the tangling, it will help you tell your different chargers apart in a fun and cute way! Wrap a single strip around the cable and that’s it! If you don’t want to rely on memorizing colors alone, go ahead and label the tape with a marker.

Adhesive Bandage

Adhesive Bandage

While we hope that you won’t nick your finger with a paper cutter during your DIY projects, it can happen. Washi tape transforms a bland adhesive bandage into a fashion accessory! It’s incredibly easy: all you have to do is cover the upper side of the bandage with a strip of washi tape, then cut the edges to the proper size!

Interior Decoration

Interior Decoration

There are special washi tape varieties on sale specifically for walls, windows, or surfaces like shower doors. With “mt CASA” you can spice up your room and furniture with washi tape! We adorned one of our meeting tables with a “mt CASA FLEECE” 23cm broad, tile-style tape, smoothing the edges with a paper cutter. But really, from chairs to dressers, walls to kitchen tiles, let your creativity run free!
With the exception of walls, make sure to properly clean whatever surface you want to decorate – tables, windows, and the likes won’t be harmed by a bit of alcohol!

From interior decoration to little things such as gift bags and bookmarks, the versatility of washi tape is astounding. Because of that, it deserves a special place both in the heart and in the arsenal of every DIY enthusiast and those who are striving to become one! We hope that our list has helped to kickstart your creativity and look forward to your original washi tape creations!

Kamoi Kakoshi Co., Ltd.
Kamoi Kakoshi was founded in 1923 and has its headquarters in Okayama Prefecture in Japan’s west. The company manufactures adhesive tapes used for car and interior decoration.

Taking the tape created for professional use and turning it into a stationery item for everyone to enjoy, the “mt” series of washi paper is a massive success. As a pioneer of washi tape, Kamoi Kakoshi and its mt series has become a staple brand among DIY enthusiasts.

*This information is from the time of this article's publication.
*Prices and options mentioned are subject to change.
*Unless stated otherwise, all prices include tax.

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