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How are mulberry trees connected to paper production in Asia?

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red garden rose — Rosales Red garden roses (*Rosa* hybrid). Whereas wild roses have only five petals, most hybrid varieties have been bred to produce numerous petals in a wide range of colours.

The paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera), a member of the Moraceae family, is historically and technically significant to papermaking in Asia.

The connection lies in the tree's inner bark, which provides high-quality bast fibers used to create paper pulp. These fibers are prized for their length, which imparts exceptional strength and flexibility to the finished product.123

The historical development of papermaking is often traced to approximately 105 CE in China, where the official Ts’ai Lun utilized mulberry fibers alongside other materials like hemp and rags to produce paper. In Japan, this tradition continues through the production of washi, a durable, traditional handmade paper. Because of its superior structural properties, paper mulberry—often referred to as kozo—remains a preferred material for specialized applications, including archival conservation.432