Most paper is made from wood. Even if you use “recycled” paper, which is a huge improvement, the process starts with cutting down a tree. At O’BON, we now use Bagasse paper for our notebooks.

For most people, this is a completely new word. Bagasse, pronounced “Buh-Gas”, is essentially what remains after the sugarcane plant is drained of its juice. This left over pulp or fiber has outstanding and very useful qualities: 

• It grows almost like a weed. Fast growing in a thick mono-culture setting, it can be grown yearly with little wear and tear on the earth and soil. 

• It doesn’t need heavy fertilizers, nor does it demand much more than rainwater to grow. As sugarcane grows in the tropics, rain and sun is plentiful. It grows very quickly and costs very little.

• Most importantly, the fiber or pulp that is often just thrown away has great uses. This fiber can be used to make paper, spoons, forks, plates and boxes, thus minimizing the demand for plastic. Best of all, these products can be made with little energy, no chlorine or other toxic chemicals.