While it might seem unusual at first, you'll be surprised to find out that there's gold in poo, as the waste produced by elephants can transform into a beautiful and sustainable wonder – enter POOPOOPAPER!
The concept of elephant poop paper is truly refreshing, thanks to its surprising sustainability. Our company, POOPOOPAPER, is dedicated to crafting unique paper products from organic recycled fibers found in animal dung, offering a better and more sustainable alternative to traditional paper production. Let's explore what it is, how it's made, how it can help our planet, and the question that you’re probably dying to ask – does it smell?
The Million-Dollar Question: What is Elephant Dung?
Elephant dung is an organic waste matter which is a byproduct of the elephant’s digestive system. As it’s been studied for many years, it is found to be a great supplemental fertilizer – responsible for even building and growing an entire ecosystem. As elephant poop is further studied and considered nutrient-rich, experts have discovered more beneficial uses for it, such as biofuel, a mosquito repellant, and most recently, elephant poo paper!
What is Elephant Poop Paper?
Elephant poop paper is precisely what it sounds like – it’s basically paper crafted from the fibrous material found in elephant dung. Before you squirm or wrinkle your nose, let’s first set things straight. Elephant poo isn’t just waste. It’s mainly composed of digested plant matter–as elephants are primarily herbivores. Therefore, their waste contains a rich source of cellulose fibers, the key ingredient in traditional paper production.
Surely, you’ll ask if it’s truly made from elephant poop. The answer is a 100% yes. POOPOOPAPER extracts those valuable fibers from the dung and through a meticulous cleaning process, we can create a sustainable and beautiful paper product.
Collection
We start by sourcing our precious waste from elephant sanctuaries in Chiang Mai, Thailand. We’ve partnered with these sanctuaries that take great care of the elephants’ well-being–providing them with spacious habitats, healthy diets, and regular veterinary care–the perfect recipe for creating those lovely poos! We ensure that the dung is collected naturally as part of their daily routine ensuring that these giant, majestic creatures are unharmed.
Cleaning and Preparation
Once collected, the dung undergoes a thorough cleaning process to ensure hygiene and safety. We meticulously remove any non-fibrous materials like pebbles, dirt, and leaves, leaving only the valuable fibers behind. These fibers are then boiled for several hours, softening them and creating a slurry-like consistency perfect for papermaking. This boiling process also eliminates any bacteria, ensuring the final product is safe and hygienic for commercial use.
Pulping
To enhance the strength and texture of our paper, we blend the elephant dung fibers with other seasonally available, non-wood fibers. We ensure only to use seasonally abundant plant fibers from banana tree trunks, pineapple husks, and corn stalks. What we get is a beautifully rich blend of fibrous pulp that will soon be transformed into equally beautiful paper! To make our unique elephant poop paper more vibrant, we incorporate non-toxic, soy-based colorants keeping our process environmentally friendly throughout.
Forming Sheets
To ensure that each POOPOOPAPER sheet meets our highest standards of consistency and quality, the raw materials go through the skilled hands of our local artisans. With the use of traditional screening techniques, they handcraft each sheet of paper for proper quality and thickness. Each sheet is a testament to the artistry of our papermakers.
