Stationary from dung, could you ever imagine? Nature provides us with an abundance of resources and from various sources which can be used for our benefits in many ways. Some of such resources can be found through waste materials.
It needs the genius to spot and utilize such discarded waste material and cultivate them into a beneficial source. Mahima Mehra and Vijendra Shekhawat are two such entrepreneurs who have done just that. They chose their raw material which was elephant dung and started out with a loan of Rs15,000. Their business now has a turnover of crores of rupees.
It all started in the year 2003, near Jaipur’s Amber Fort where the duo found hordes of fibrous dung. For others, it was just a total waste, but for them, this carried a solid potential and decided on producing paper out of it.
It will be astonishing to find the products that were produced by dung. It will change your perspective of looking at waste such as dung. Their brand Haathi Chaap makes notebooks, photo albums, stationery, tea coasters, gift tags, bags, frames etc with prices that range from Rs 10 to Rs 500.
Initially, Mahima used to export their paper to Germany for four years and then launched her products in the Indian market. The products have also obtained a market in the UK. The dung cleaning happens to be a crucial process. It is washed meticulously with water in large water tanks. Then this water is used as fertilizers in the field. The dung then is dried and used for paper production.
Mahima had always preferred living an eco-friendly way. This approach made her perceive the importance of elephant dung as a useful resource. Apparently, the digestive systems of elephants are bad which makes their dung more fibrous and helps in making good quality paper.
When they began, people looked at the initiation and products with amusement, disgust, as well as interest. The colors they use on the paper are natural or vegetable dyes. The novelty of their products has the capacity to market itself. Their products are green, chemical-free, safe to use and inspiring. Once you look at their products you will feel intrigued to get one of their products yourself.
(Photo credit: the better India, down to earth)
