DIY Polaroid Photo Sleeves: Dress Up Retro Prints with Origami Paper

Created by: PrintForFun. Reviewed and updated by the KT Colour team, October 2026.

The short answer: a sheet of origami paper, a pair of scissors and some tape are all you need to give a white-bordered retro print a patterned frame, the way instant film comes in printed borders. Mark the measurements below on the back of the paper, cut out the window, fold the paper over the print and tape it at the back. Ten minutes per sleeve, and no two need to match.

Instant film comes in all sorts of printed borders: rainbow, pastel gradients, cartoon characters. Printed polaroid-style photos from a lab come with a plain white border. If you like the look of the patterned ones, this is a cheap way to get it, and it works on any bordered print, not just the small ones.

What you need

• Polaroid-style prints. We used Instax Classic retro prints, which are the size of a classic polaroid. The measurements for two other sizes are at the end.
• Origami paper. Popular bookstore, Daiso and most craft shops sell packs of mixed patterns. Thin wrapping paper also works but is harder to fold neatly.
• Scissors or a craft knife and a ruler.
• Washi tape, double-sided tape or a glue stick.

The measurements

The idea is a window slightly smaller than the photo area, with flaps that fold over the print's white border and tape down at the back. Measure your actual print before you cut; a millimetre or two matters on something this small.

Step by step

1. Mark out the template on the back of the origami paper using the diagram above.
2. Cut along the outside lines and cut out the middle rectangle. A craft knife gives a cleaner window than scissors.
3. Line the window up with the photo and fold the flaps down over the white border.
4. Tape the flaps at the back with washi tape or double-sided tape. Washi tape lets you swap the sleeve later without damaging the print.

Templates for the other two sizes

The same method works on larger bordered prints. The diagrams below show two more sizes, and the table gives every measurement in one place. Sizes vary a little from lab to lab, so measure your own print and adjust.

A stack of these makes a good gift on its own, or clipped to a string of fairy lights on a bedroom wall. Have fun with the patterns.