Elephant Dung Paper
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All our Elephant Dung Paper products are made at the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre in Lampang, Northern Thailand. The man (some might consider him a genius) who started it all is Mr. Wanchai Asawawibulkij.

Thailand is renowned for its natural paper made from tree fibres (known as Sa or Mulberry paper). Whilst passing a paper factory one day Wanchai was inspired to try using similar processes on the fibre from elephant dung. After much experimentation using his wife's food processor (he's since bought her a new one, you'll be relieved to hear!), 'Elephant Dung Paper' was finally developed.

Thanks Wanchai - What a great idea!

Wanchai at the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre
 
  Making the Paper  
     
The dung is collected, with help from the elephants, then washed and boiled for 5 hours to get rid of bacteria. Nothing is wasted, even the excess water is used to water the plants grown at the centre to feed the elephants.
     
The mixture is spun for up to 3 hours to cut the fibres - colour is also added at this point. Balls of equal weight are prepared (a 300g ball will make one large sheet of paper), and then sifted evenly onto bamboo frames.
     
The frames are left to dry in the sun (this can take hours). The paper is then gently sanded. Now its ready to assemble into all sorts of interesting products.

  • Elephant Dung Paper does not smell at all
  • Chlorine is not used its manufacture
  • Elephant Dung Paper is 100% bacteria free
  • 100% recycled
  • 100% handmade (well, with a little help from the elephants!)

Now for the Maths...

1 elephant + 200kg food per day = 50kg dung = 115 sheets of paper
 

Dung Facts

  
   
DUNG FACTS
bullet Elephant dung is just fibre. They are poor digesters of their food and much of it comes straight out the other end. The elephants are doing the first stage of any paper making process - getting the fibres.
bullet Sugar cane, bamboo, grass and water melon seeds are just a few of the fibres still visible in the finished paper.
bullet You can get a good idea of the age of the elephant from the paper. Younger elephants tend to produce smoother paper. As the elephant gets older, the paper produced becomes rougher.
bullet Elephant dung doesn't usually smell - if it smells bad then the elephant is probably unwell.
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