By Zak Zeinert, Student Reporter
A company selling “fun, natural gifts made from elephant poo poo” is just one of many slogans for the Campus Store’s newest line.
The Campus Store recently began selling paper made by The Great Elephant Poo Poo Paper Company. The company began making products from elephant dung in 2002 and is now active in 16 countries, according to the company’s Web site.
According to the Web site, “The spirit and passion behind our products is rooted in our belief that our products represent a healthy and sustainable balance between ecological responsibility and commercial pursuit.”
Scott Harsh, assistant store director, discovered the elephant paper at a national conference for college stores.
“I said to myself, ‘I wonder what this is all about?'” Harsh said. “It seemed intriguing, so I brought back some samples.”
Harsh said the product has been selling extremely well, especially with the middle school students who were recently on campus.
“It seems like students think its either a good idea or just flat out weird,” Harsh said.
The typical elephant eats 300-600 pounds of food per day. Sixty percent of that food leaves the body undigested. This undigested food is what is primarily used for making paper.
Dried elephant dung is collected and taken back to the company’s paper making factory. The dung is then thoroughly rinsed with water, leaving behind only the fibrous materials from the elephant’s diet. The fibers are placed in boiling water to completely clean them. Other natural fibers are added and the mixture is laid out into small cakes. The cakes are then spread out evenly on a mesh tray and laid outside to
dry naturally.
Once dry, a sheet of paper is peeled from the mesh tray and ready to be a Poo Poo Paper product.
One pile of elephant dung can make up to 25 large sheets of paper, the equivalent of 10 standard-size journals.
The company has sold more than 150 items, such as picture frames, photo albums, bookmarks and gift bags, all of which are completely odor free, according to the Web site.
Travis Moore, sophomore biology major from Fort Worth, said he thinks the product is a neat idea. “I’ll buy it as long as it doesn’t smell,” Moore said.
