What is the difference between Italian crepe paper and normal crepe paper?

“Crepe paper is coated and texturized tissue paper,” says Olsen. “Italian crepe paper is a high-quality thick, heavyweight crepe paper,” she adds, noting that the heavier the weight of crepe paper, the thicker it will be.

Is crepe paper stronger than tissue paper?

“Crepe paper is stronger than tissue paper due to its texture,” Olsen explains. “To create the wrinkled aesthetic of crepe paper, the tissue base of crepe paper is coated with sizing, which creates that texture,” she adds, explaining how this is what makes crepe paper more durable than regular tissue paper.

What is the best paper weight for paper flowers?

When it comes to flower making, Olsen recommends using lighter-weight crepe paper. “The durability of a heavier weight paper will prevent simple tears; however, crepe paper that is too thick will be difficult to twist, curl, and manipulate,” she explains. “A paper around 60-80 grams is lightweight, flexible, and perfect for flower making,” she adds.

The Best Crepe Paper of 2023

Crepe Paper Flower — Redphotographer / Getty Images

Whether you’re making party streamers or a vibrant bouquet of paper flowers, high-quality crepe paper is a must for any paper craft project.

We researched dozens of crepe paper options from the best craft suppliers, considering everything from color options, paper weight, and overall quality, plus size and value to find the best crepe paper for florals, party decor, and more. Our top pick, the Fiesta Crepe Paper by Recollections, comes in a variety of color options—including a couple of greens for leaf making—is made of high quality and makes crepe paper flowers a breeze to create.

Here are our top choices for the best crepe paper.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Fiesta Fiesta 12" x 12" Crepe Paper by Recollections at Michaels

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Best Pastels:

Just Artifacts Pastels Assorted Crepe Paper Rolls at Justartifacts.net

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Best for Flowers:

Lia Griffith Extra Fine Crepe Papers Enchanted Garden at JOANN

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Best Streamers:

Coceca Crepe Paper Streamers at Amazon

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Best Color Scheme:

Lia Griffith Heavy English Garden Crepe Paper Pack at Papersource.com

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Best Kit:

Lia Griffith Roses Crepe Paper Flower Kit at Papersource.com

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In This Article

Our Picks
What to Look for in Crepe Paper
FAQ
Why Trust The Spruce Crafts

Fiesta 12" x 12" Crepe Paper by Recollections

Michaels

View On Michaels

What We Like

Variety of color options
Great size per sheet
Ideal for floral making

What We Don't Like

Not great for making streamers

Our top selection for the best crepe paper is the Fiesta Crepe Paper by Recollections, which you can purchase from Michaels. While the paper isn’t ideal for making paper streamers, this is an excellent choice for making beautiful floral arrangements with its ultra-high quality paper and variety of color options. And while the paper sheets aren’t the largest on our list, they are a great size per sheet for many projects.

Just Artifacts

View On Justartifacts.net

What We Like

The sheets are extra large
Beautiful color scheme
Budget-friendly

What We Don't Like

Not ideal for smaller projects

When it comes to crepe paper crafts, color options are important. For the best pastel color option, we love this collection of paper rolls from Just Artifacts. For the price point, the paper is good quality and high value, and it features five stunning colors, including baby blue, light green, lilac, soft yellow, and millennial pink. This is also a great choice for larger projects as the paper rolls are 2.5 meters in length. However, those making smaller projects might feel like it’s too much paper for their craft.

Lia Griffith Extra Fine Crepe Papers Enchanted Garden

Joann

View On JOANN

What We Like

Lots of colors
Extra fine paper
Paper has a lot of stretch

What We Don't Like

Limited weight variety

When putting together a bouquet of crepe paper florals, you want some good color options—and this Enchanted Garden collection from Lia Griffith delivers. Beyond that, we love that the paper is extra fine and has a lot of stretch, which is excellent for floral making. While we wish there were more options in terms of paper weight, this package of crepe paper rolls features the best weight and size for flower making.

28 Easy-to-Make DIY Paper Flowers

Amazon

View On Amazon

What We Like

Great value
High quality
Vibrant colors

What We Don't Like

Limited colors

If you’re making streamers, you want crepe paper rolls that are the right size, high quality (especially if you plan on twisting them), and available in fun and vibrant colors. This package of 12 crepe paper streamer rolls from Amazon meets all the requirements. Perfect for straight and twisted streamers alike, the streamers are great to have on hand for any party decorating occasion. Our only wish for this choice is that there were more colors in the pack.

DIY Piñatas for Every Kind of Party

Lia Griffith Heavy English Garden Crepe Paper Pack

Paper Source

View On Papersource.com

What We Like

Super malleable paper
Durable

What We Don't Like

No green paper

There’s no need to purchase crepe paper colors separately when beautiful color schemes like this one from the Lia Griffith collection exist. We love the color options, and despite the heavy and durable paper, it’s incredibly malleable.

While there is a great variety of color choices in this collection, the one thing we don’t love is that green is missing from the pack, so you’ll need to purchase that separately if you plan on making some leaves for your floral arrangement.

Lia Griffith Roses Crepe Paper Flower Kit

Paper Source

View On Papersource.com

What We Like

Beginner-friendly
Makes enough for a small bouquet
Comes with a mix of weights
Comes with a flower pattern and video tutorial

What We Don't Like

Doesn’t include all supplies

If you’re new to crepe paper crafts, a kit is a great place to start. We love this floral arrangement kit because it comes with all the paper, plus the patterns and video tutorials necessary to create a beautiful arrangement of six flowers and six buds from double-sided crepe paper. The kit also includes a mix of weights, so you can get familiar with working with different types of thicknesses.

If you decide to go with this kit, make sure to read up on the additional supplies needed, as it doesn’t come with some required materials such as hot glue, wire cutters, green paper cutter wire, and more.

Weight

According to Anna Olsen, a Crafted Content Trend Lead at JOANN, you’ll first want to identify the project you want to create. "This will dictate what type of crepe paper is best for that specific project,” she says. Once you have that squared away, the first thing you want to look for is the crepe paper's weight to ensure that it meets the required weight of your project.

Color

In addition to weight, you want to consider the colors you’ll need for your project. Some crepe paper colors are sold separately, while others come in a pack of different colors or a color scheme.

Quantity

The amount of crepe paper is also important, especially if you have a specific project in mind. Olsen agrees: "Being mindful of the quantity will best support the success of your crafted project." This guarantees a smoother process without any interruptions or discrepancies in the paper you use.

FAQ

What is the difference between Italian crepe paper and normal crepe paper?

“Crepe paper is coated and texturized tissue paper,” says Olsen. “Italian crepe paper is a high-quality thick, heavyweight crepe paper,” she adds, noting that the heavier the weight of crepe paper, the thicker it will be.
Is crepe paper stronger than tissue paper?

“Crepe paper is stronger than tissue paper due to its texture,” Olsen explains. “To create the wrinkled aesthetic of crepe paper, the tissue base of crepe paper is coated with sizing, which creates that texture,” she adds, explaining how this is what makes crepe paper more durable than regular tissue paper.
What is the best paper weight for paper flowers?

When it comes to flower making, Olsen recommends using lighter-weight crepe paper. “The durability of a heavier weight paper will prevent simple tears; however, crepe paper that is too thick will be difficult to twist, curl, and manipulate,” she explains. “A paper around 60-80 grams is lightweight, flexible, and perfect for flower making,” she adds.

Contributing writer Jessie Quinn is a life-long crafter with decades of experience sourcing the best materials for her personal projects. She extends that experience with her background in journalism to research the best craft supplies for The Spruce Crafts. When researching the best crepe paper, Jessie considered color options, weight, versatility, and quality of the paper. She also looked at the size and considered the overall value of materials.