Kenaf is a 4,000 year old crop originating in ancient
Africa. A member of the
hibiscus family (Hibiscus cannabinus L), it is related to
cotton and
okra, and grows well in many parts of the U.S.
Who cares you ask?
Kenaf grows quickly, rising to heights of 12-14 feet in as little as 4 to 5 months. U.S. Department of Agriculture studies show that kenaf yields of 6 to 10 tons of dry fiber per acre per year are generally 3 to 5 times greater than the yield for Southern pine trees, which can take from 7 to 40 years to reach harvestable size...
What this means for the world is a more efficient, eco-friendly alternative to our horrific consumption of paper made from precious trees!
Paper is not made specifically from trees, (a common misconception) but rather from pulp. Paper made from other plants in place of trees has the same look and feel as the stock one might find at major office and print shops. For efficiency purposes people have derived the pulp from trees at a devastating cost to our environment without thoughts of finding an alternative.