poop from elephants make great paper

While I was in Hilo my Mom and Aunty were in San Francisco (lucky). They had to attend some family business and during some downtime, went to the California Academy of Sciences where they bought some "omiyage" (gift in Japanese).

Lucky me, my folks know I like strange and unusual things...especially paper items. So they gave me 2 notebooks/pads. One was the standard 100% recycled CAS branded notebook, the other caused me to get grossed out a bit.

The cover says "MADE WITH REAL POO!" Elephant poo that is...

It appears, the great folks at The Great Elephant Poo Poo Paper Company Limited created recycled paper from elephant dung.

How do you make paper from poo you ask?!? Well their website states that the process consists of washing the poo so that any fibers in the poo are left, boil the fibers for super cleaning action, add some extra fibers from banana and pineapple to create a stronger paper and lay the mixture on screens (much like regular paper making method).

It's unscented and kinda like super smooth mulberry paper.

Oh these pachyderms, they paint and make poo for paper! Maybe one day they will paint on the paper made from their poo.