Rice paper is traditionally used in Japan to coat doors.
We import high quality washi rice paper from Japan (Washi rice paper - Certificate of originality) and we use it to coat the sliding doors of cabinets and wardrobes. 

Japanese rice paper with double-sided PVC coating

The plasticized Washi papers are protected by a double plastic (PVC) layer. Usually they are used without any other support resulting in very light doors. This coating is defined as semi-washable and is suitable for 19, 26 and 32 mm thick doors. Although these doors are very resistent, if you wish to give your shoji door more protection, we can add a thin transparent plastic support behind the washi paper. Find out more about the washi and polycarbonate layer below.

Japanese rice paper on rigid polycarbonate layer

The white fiber rice paper (001) is treated with a special water-based liquid and glued on a 1 mm thick transparent polycarbonate panel. It is then uniformly sprayed with a water based vitrifying product to be further protected. It's also possible to request the double-sided PVC coating rice paper with this extra polycarbonate support; in this case however, the PVC washi paper is simply laid in place without applying glue.
The rice paper (001) treated in this way mantains a natural feel as it is not covered with PVC. One may still feel it’s natural roughness but it is at the same very strong and shock resistant. This makes it perfectly capable of contrasting the pressure from clothes inside the wardrobe. This coating is defined as semi-washable and is suitable for 19, 26 and 32 mm thick doors.   

Japanese rice paper on plexiglass

For 40 mm thick sliding pocket doors for bathrooms and kitchens, we generally use a rice paper on a 4 mm plexiglass layer. The white-fiber paper is normally glued on the plexiglass layer, while the double-coated PVC paper is normally applied without glue.

Japanese rice paper between to plexiglass layers

For 40 mm thick sliding pocket doors for bathrooms and kitchens, we also generally use a rice paper inserted between two 3+3 mm plexiglass layers. In this case the rice paper does not need to be glued. This solution can be also used on 32 mm doors with a double sided wood grid. The plexiglass layers on either side of the rice paper are slightly thinner than the classic panels we use as support (2+2 mm).