Folding flower petals 🌷

The following is a brief introduction to hanakami. For a more detailed description of the process, there is an article published in Issue 88 (May–June 2025) of the OrigamiUSA online magazine The Fold.

First of all, what is hanakami?

Hanakami is a portmanteau created using the Japanese word for flower (花 - hana) and paper (紙 - kami). It is not the folding of flower petal models, but the folding of origami models using flower petals. 

Secondly, why flower petals?

“Why not just fold origami paper?”

I wish I had some deep or meaningful answer to the question in the form of a story. But I have folded origami from a lot of different materials before attempting to fold flower petals. Everything from printer paper, newspaper, magazines, aluminium foil, baking paper, bubble wrap, tissue paper, cellophane, felt, fabric and many more.

There is an indescribable feeling that comes from working with natural and unprocessed materials, whether it is the feel of the flower petals on the fingertips, the focus required when working with a delicate material, or the impermanence of the finished model. 

Whether you decide to give this a go or not, I hope reading about hanakami will give you a different perspective about what origami is (and what it can be). 

Maybe it will even help you to think a little bit more deeply about art and its link to mental health and well-being.

So, where do I start?

Origami is the art of folding paper into various shapes and forms. The "paper" typically used for origami is made from plants and processed in many different ways to produce a range of sizes, textures, colours and finishes. Yet somehow, the humble flower petals with their beautiful colors and patterns endowed by nature have been overlooked... 

Folding origami using flower petals adds some different steps and considerations to the practice of origami. And as many experienced origamists will tell you, the choice of paper and the techniques used are critical to ensuring that the finished origami model matches the vision of the artists. 

Here are the general steps you need to adapt for different types of flowers:

• collect petals from flower of choice - I don't use flowers in full bloom and prefer to collect them from the ground

• dry and press petals - you don't need a flower press for this, even newspapers and something heavy to put on top of the layers is sufficient when you are starting out

• cut the petals into squares - try using something very sharp like a scalpel

• test petal for pliability and modify if required

• fold into origami model (no tools required, but a lot of patience is needed)

If you choose to use flower petals as I have, you will embark on a an exciting journey that takes your techniques and creativity to new places. If you are simply curious about what it involves, I hope you will find inspirations to try something new, and help spark your imagination when you find yourself working on something creative.

And just how long will the hanakami last?

Like all organic materials, the petals will break down slowly over time. However, because most of the moisture has been removed in the pressing and drying stages of the preparation, you can expect the petals to stay intact for years by restricting the factors that contribute to organic matter decomposition like high temperature, humidity and contact with aerobic and organic elements.

I have preserved some of the models in resin to show how the colours and structure can be retained for longer periods of time, but my preference is to simply let nature take its course over time.