Looking for a creative, eco-friendly gift for the holidays? Head on over to
The Great Elephant Poo Poo Paper Company Limited™ and check out their online (oh, I can hardly type this!)
Poo-tique™. They carry a range of items -- from journals to stationery -- made from this uniquely recycled product.
How is poo poo paper made? According to the company, elephant dung is collected from conservation parks and washed to remove the excrement. The remaining fibers (things like left-over grasses and bamboo) are boiled to sanitize them. This material is then mixed with other fibrous materials; the resulting mixture is placed onto trays and dries into paper. You can read the full story at
Turning Poo to Paper, along with
Elephant Facts and a
Brief Elephant History.
The company claims that the product has no smell, which is the first thing my family wanted to verify as soon as I opened my package of paper. Interestingly enough, poo poo paper really doesn't smell. However, since the paper is quite lumpy and fibrous, the knowledge of where it comes from does creep into your mind as you look at it. I found myself examining some of the more unique fibers -- could that be a worm? a bug? So poo poo paper may not be for everyone. In fact, Itinerant cryptographer wouldn't come near it!
(Many thanks to LD for such a unique birthday present!)
