Elephant Dung Paper: Turning Poop into Conservation

The concept of elephant dung paper seems farfetched, but an enterprising Thai man combined science and conservation to make poop into beautiful products.

The man behind the paper is Mr. Wanchai. On his way home from work he used to pass a natural paper factory and was impressed at the simplicity of the process that used natural tree fibers to make high quality hand made paper. He then took a trip to the Thai Elephant Conservation Center in Lampang Northern Thailand and saw piles and piles of dung. He looked at the dung and noticed that the dung was very fibrous. This was the birth of the idea.

The next step was to take home a carload of dung to his house. His wife was amused and at this stage very patient. Try as he could he could not get the paper just right. He used the family food processor to cut the long fibers to a shorter length – his wife finally lost her patience. Not only was he bringing home dung but using the food processor was one step too far. She gave him the ultimatum…. She gave him two choices. The first was to stop bringing home dung and concentrate on his job. The second was to make the dung paper full time. EITHER WAY SHE WANTED A NEW FOOD PROCESSOR!!

Mr. Wanchai still has the old food processor as a reminder and lesson to him and his children that – in life many people may think you are mad or crazy but if you have the courage to try and try then you will succeed.

If he had listened to the laughs then he would not be able to help the many elephants he now does. The simplicity of the idea is remarkable. He collects the dung of elephants, turns it into paper and then products. Mr. Wanchai takes the paper sale profits and it goes to feeding and caring for the elephants at the Thai Elephant Conservation Center in Lampang. The facility houses abandoned elephants and injured elephants who would not survive without the help of the paper sales.

Mr. Wanchai is philosophical about his journey. “Thai elephants have helped many generations of Thais and they continue to provide many jobs for the ordinary people like me. It might be just plain dung to most but to me every time a ball drops it is another opportunity to help them – one man’s or elephant’s trash is another’s treasure – where there is muck there is money."

With sincerity he jokes, “ Without my family this idea would never have got off the ground – because that’s where it comes from.”

Elephant Dung paper is available through Audrey's All Natural Shoppe. Click here to see the beautiful paper sets - this is a great UNIQUE gift for anyone! Beautiful, useful, and benefits elephants greatly. Click here to view the beautiful collections, and take a peek at Audrey's great all natural body care products.