 Elephant dung paper | |
| Type | Paper; recycled paper |
|---|---|
| Material | Herbivore feces |
| Introduced |
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Dung paper is a type of paper using natural fibers from cellulose-rich herbivorous feces. Many dung paper producers mix waste paper to make the paper more appealing while remaining eco-friendly.
Dung paper was invented by Kenyan conservationist Mike Bugara by late 1996, using African elephant dung. He found success with the Kenya Wildlife Service, which in 1997 commissioned his paper for special events. [1] In the early 2000s, the KWS began to encourage other Kenyan farmers to collect elephant dung and produce elephant dung paper. As of 2025, 17 elephant dung paper companies operate in Kenya, with more in neighboring countries. [2]
Elephant dung paper quickly spread outside of East Africa to Asia. In 1997, shortly after the introduction of African elephant dung paper, Thusitha Ranasinghe of Sri Lanka founded Eco Maximus to produce Indian elephant dung paper. Ranasinghe was inspired by reading about the Kenyan elephant dung paper in the news. [3] Following two years of experimentation, in 2001 former paralegal Wanchai Asawawibulkij started a Thai elephant dung paper mill at the Thai Elephant Conservation Center in Lampang. [4] [5] In 2004 in Jaipur, India, papermakers Mahima Mehra & Vijendra Shekhawat founded Haathi Chaap to produce elephant dung paper from Indian elephants. The company initially had difficulty overcoming local workers' taboo against feces, but found success contextualizing the work as indirect worship of Ganesha. [6] [7]
Bugara's concept inspired other novel dung papers using other types of dung.
All dung paper production follows the same general steps:
Dung paper is marketed in various ways across many companies, including as a novelty item, an eco-friendly good, a souvenir, and as folk art. [7]
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