DUNG PAPER
We've produced more than 60 sheets of paper, made from a variety of materials. Due to the use of organic material, none of them look exactly the same. Which one do you like best?
Hover over one of the sheets to see the composition of that sheet!
100% elephant dung
50% textile 50% elephant dung
50% textile 50% elephant dung
25% textile 75% elephant dung
25% textile 75% elephant dung
50% textile 50% rough elephant dung
33% textile 33% rough elephant dung 34% fine dung
50% textile 50% elephant dung
50% textile 50% elephant dung
50% recycled paper 50% elephant dung
50% recycled paper 50% elephant dung (small quantities)
50% recycled paper 50% elephant dung
50% recycled paper 50% elephant dung
50% recycled paper 50% elephant dung
33% textile 33% recycled paper 34% elephant dung
33% textile 33% recycled paper 34% elephant dung
33% textile 33% recycled paper 34% elephant dung
33% textile 33% recycled paper 33% elephant dung
50% textile 50% recycled paper
33% textile 33% recycled paper 33% elephant dung
50% recycled paper 50% elephant dung
50% recycled paper 50% elephant dung
50% recycled paper 50% elephant dung
50% recycled paper 50% elephant dung
50% recycled paper 50% elephant dung
75% rough elephant dung 25% fine elephant dung
60% rough elephant dung 40% fine elephant dung
100% elephant dung
50% textile 50% elephant dung
50% textile 50% elephant dung
50% textile 50% elephant dung
50% textile 50% elephant dung
50% textile 50% elephant dung small amounts
50% textile 50% elephant dung small amounts
50% textile 50% elephant dung small amounts
50% textile 50% elephant dung small amounts
60% textile 40% elephant dung small amounts
60% textile 40% elephant dung small amounts
60% textile 40% elephant dung small amounts
60% textile 40% elephant dung small amounts
30% textile 70% elephant dung
60% textile 40% elephant dung
100% elephant dung
100% textile
100% textile
100% textile
100% textile
100% textile
100% textile
100% textile
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
These are some close-ups of several of our paper sheets
ELEPHANT DIET
Elephants are the largest herbivores on the planet. That means, they also eat a lot of food. The elephant we used dung from had a very specific diet. Hay dominates the diet with around 300kilograms of it consumed per week. Also consumed are 30 bananas, 220 kgs of apples, 70 kgs of carrots and 60 kgs of endives! That is almost 800 kilograms of food every week!
WHY ELEPHANT MANURE?
Contributing to the transition towards circularity requires the focus on a waste product fitting for the context of ARTIS. In our research phase, we found that elephant manure was the best fitting for this context. ARTIS has to pay to dispose of this manure, while it is a valuable product. Elephants are plant eaters, the manure does not contain harmful bacteria and is safe to use in contrast to carnivore manure. Furthermore, elephants only digest 30 to 40 percent of their food, which makes the manure rich in nutrients. The manure completely consists of cellulose, which enables the creation of paper and cardboard without any rest products. Lastly, elephant manure is interesting for visitors. Stories that talk about the creative use of shit generate attention. Showing the possibilities of creating something out of the shit fits with the message of circularity that there is no waste and everything has value.