Sheep Poo Paper
The old smithy at the base of the Aberllefenni quarry in Snowdonia has been there for years. Named Twll Golau (‘light at the end of the tunnel’) after the mineshaft above, which plunges into the mountain at just the right angle for the sun to beam briefly on the glistening back wall, deep underground.
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Amid this desolate slate strewn landscape the smithy has taken on a new lease of life as the mill for Creative Paper Wales and its premier brand Sheep Poo Paper TM. It does what it says on the label? Yes, it’s paper made from ovine dung.
Lez Paylor, co-owner and production manager, explains the process. “Dung from grazing herbivores is rich in fibre and makes a great basis for paper. Endlessly renewable and much better than chopping down trees. Only prime quality is used. It needs to be fresh, before the beetles get to it.”
The sheep poo is collected by hand from the fields of neighbouring farmers. Lez informed Griff Rhys Jones (in the filming of Mountain) that, for reasons of hygiene and to blend in with the sheep, it was best to wear white overalls – he believed it!
After sterilising in pressure cookers, the dung is stuffed in old pillow cases for a thorough wash in machines modified to inhibit the end of wash spin. From here it goes to the mixing section adding ingredients, according to which recipe is being followed, and thence to the Holland Beater. A machine that drags the mix under a diamond tipped cog wheel, stretching as opposed to tearing the fibres.