For those of you who are familiar with the paper we use for our Christmas and birthday letters at the International Elf Service, you’ll know it’s made from actual real elephant poo!  Many parents reported back with tales of their children sniffing at their letters to see if they smelt.  Thankfully they don’t!

I asked the very lovely Carol at the Exotic Paper Company how they actually make their paper and this is what she said:

Elephant dung paper is not that unusual in some parts of the world but pretty unique in Somerset, so how did that come about? The inspiration for Ellie Poo paper came after a visit to Sri Lanka, where making paper from elephant dung is fairly common. So the thinking was, great idea, let’s get stuck in and make some!

Firstly there is the glamorous part, collecting the dung – and you need a lot! It takes about 25Kgs to make a batch of paper. Luckily, wherever there are elephants there’s a plentiful supply of raw material, as your average ellie produces about 1 tonne of waste per week – what a wonderful vision! (N.B. not advisable to keep elephants as pets – you can’t buy a big enough litter tray).

Next comes the messy processing bit, involving cauldrons and all sorts of wizardry! Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble (apologies to The Bard) and hey presto, you end up with a big pile of delightful fibrous mush. Just smell that aroma!!

Finally, we have the most exciting part, and the papermaking can begin! When the mush has dried (it’s now basically a poo concentrate) it goes to the paper mill where it’s added to 100% recycled waste paper pulp and made into new, poo paper. But not just your ordinary paper! Thanks to the magic ingredient, Poo paper has a character all of its own, with attractive flecks and a tactile textured feel to it.

And if the process wasn’t romantic enough already, Ellie Poo paper is made at the world’s oldest mechanised paper mill, on a machine that is well over a hundred years old!

Carol Dickinson at the Exotic Paper Company works very hard to ensure the North Pole is kept fully stocked with their wonderful paper.  Do have a browse – their products are really gorgeous, very ‘different’ and of course very environmentally friendly!

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“The best Christmas idea ever.” – Charlie Condou (Actor)

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“These were the best things I have ever (and I mean ever) ordered!!
I’ve never seen the magic or happiness last so long x”
– Jolene (August 2017)

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If your child believes in Father Christmas and you want to keep the magic for as long as possible, There are DIFFERENT and NEW! Christmas Letters each year!  You can preorder these for Christmas 2017 for dispatch from September.

Fairy letters from a world of dragons (who set fire to your lunch by mistake), Mystery Gardens (with changing adventures inside), Magical Potion Fairies, Secret Underground Passageways, Magical Tree Bark, Time Travel … and more.

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Birthday Letters

Tooth Fairy Letters

Dummy Fairy Letters are available too!

Come and join us on Facebook, or find us over on Christmas Traditions & Magic For Children for all year round festive chat.

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Emily x