We have a large selection of TREE FREE PAPER from Costa Rica including coffee paper, banana paper, lemon, and tobacco paper(see below)....and to wrap everything up nicely use the Hemp Wrapping paper - great for all occasions - a terrific eco-friendly alternative for presenting those special gifts. Looking for a unique journal - check out the handmade paper journals from India.
Looking for Mr. Ellie Pooh elephant dung paper? This great tree free paper can be found from it's very own link right beside the on-line catalog link...check it out today!
What is Tree Free Paper?
Tree-Free Paper is manufactured without the use of tree fibre. It is made from alternative agricultural fibres such as vegetable fibres obtained from quickly renewed annual crops such as hemp, flax, cereal straw, corn etc. And in the case of the Costa Rica Natural Paper Co., fibres from agri waste are used to create the paper, not only preserving the forest but eliminating thousands of tons of waste from the landfill each year. Annually the banana harvest produces 230 000 tons of banana stalks that are destined for the landfill (and rivers) where they rot and oxidize harming the local eco system. Compound this annually and add other agri waste produced from coffee, coconut, mango etc and there is a devastating problem. However, alternative paper manufacturing is addressing this problem by creating beautiful products that utilize this waste. 1 ton of fibre saves approximately 17 trees, wow, 230 000 tons would save 3 910 000 trees annually!!!
Tree-Free Paper vs Recycled Paper
Recycled Paper is made from both virgin tree-fibres and recycled fibres with one exception, and that is 100% post-consumer paper which is made from 100% recycled fibres. Therefore, trees are still cut to make most recycled paper.
In general, fibres are separated from the other materials when paper is recycled. The leftover "sludge" contains unwanted toxic residues such as pigments, heavy metals and other ingredients from printing inks and adhesives. It is estimated that 100 tonnes of recycled paper generate 40 tonnes of toxic sludge causing major disposal problems.
Source: Ecosource Paper (www.islandnt.com/~ecodette/ecosource)
