Frequently Asked Questions

When do you plan to have more kenaf paper?
Why don't the existing mills make kenaf pulp and paper?
Will farmers grow kenaf?
Given the high crop prices, can kenaf compete?
What are the environmental implications of growing kenaf?
Is kenaf grown organically?
Can kenaf paper perform as well as other papers?
Is kenaf paper recyclable?
What about other non-wood fibers?
I really like this concept, what can I do to help?

Q. When do you plan to have more kenaf paper?

A. While we have been in discussions with certain existing mills to produce kenaf pulp from raw material which we will provide, there is no way to say with any certainty when we can get pulp made in that manner (using existing mills).

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Q. Why don't the existing mills make kenaf pulp and paper?

A. Since the closure of nearly all small pulp mills and many small paper mills in the U.S. during the past 10-15 years our options for making pulp have become limited. The few remaining specialty mills produce very high priced pulps for high value uses, such as tea bags and cigarette papers. If they have room in their production schedule to pulp kenaf, we have to pay them a price comparable to the other pulps that they produce. This will make the kenaf paper prohibitively expensive. Additionally, the smaller specialty mills offer spotty production windows, and a reliable steady supply of processing can not be assured.

Regarding the larger wood based pulp mills, there are two vexing issues. The first is the daily volume that they produce, and the second is the equipment configuration that exists. Generally, a U.S. wood pulp mill will produce in excess of 500 tons of pulp per day, using a kraft pulping process (sulfur based) and some form of chlorine bleaching. We have worked with a number of these mills to determine a way to get some kenaf pulp made, but there are always significant technical hurdles that are impossible to overcome without substantial financial investment.

There are many additional issues that arise in the course of attempting to get kenaf pulp made in a mill that is designed to pulp trees. When all of the issues are considered this approach does not make good business sense, for us or for the mills.

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Q. Will farmers grow kenaf?

A. Yes, as long as they are assured of getting paid. Farmers and the specialty pulp mills are in the same position. They want to earn as much growing kenaf as they can earn by growing corn or soybeans. As of June 2008 corn and soybeans are at record high prices, which means we have to pay farmers more to grow kenaf than in the past. The current high prices for corn and soybeans are caused by a) high oil costs, which effect crop inputs and field operations; b) the amount of corn acreage going to ethanol production (it is estimated that 30% of corn is going to ethanol); and c) the weather. These may not be the only issues affecting crop prices, and experts may argue about the cause, including the logic of the new Farm Bill and the impact of subsidies.

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Q. Given the high crop prices, can kenaf compete?

A. Yes, but... While we like to include local farmers in our business model, there is a limit on how much we can pay for kenaf and still have an effective raw material cost. All of our financial modeling is based upon being able to produce kenaf pulp at a price that is competitive with wood pulp.

The good news is that as oil and crop prices have risen, so has the price of wood pulp. Further to that is the fact that we can grow the crop ourselves and produce kenaf at a very competitive price to wood. We are currently developing the ability to lease farmland and equipment to produce our own raw material. This model will assure that we have raw material at an economically competitive price, and in a form that meets our processing requirements.

In the future, we want to include farmers in our business value chain. Given the current concerns about corn as a bio-fuel, the effect on other food prices, and the cost of oil, it is hard to project exactly what prices will be like in the coming years. The Federal Governments subsidization of the corn to ethanol industry may be time limited, which would help bring crop costs back into balance.

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Q. What are the environmental implications of growing kenaf?

A. Kenaf is a fast growing, low input crop that does not require insecticides. Because of its rapid emergence and the development of a leafy canopy, it is able to out-compete many weeds. Where certain aggressive weeds exist, pre-planting weed control is applied as permitted by herbicide labeling. In general terms, kenaf requires less chemicals and fertilizers than most other crops. Additionally, kenaf has been shown to absorb CO2 at twice to four times the rate of forests. Kenaf can offset the carbon dioxide emissions that result from its production and we project that our entire production chain can be carbon neutral.

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Q. Is kenaf grown organically?

A. Kenaf provides mainstream farmers with a low/no input option for rotation with their other crops. The value of dedicated organic land makes more sense for food products. Kenaf grows fast so little or no herbicides are used. No insecticides are needed since we are harvesting for fiber instead of grain or fruit.

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Q. Can kenaf paper perform as well as other papers?

Definitely. We have made 100% kenaf paper and blends of kenaf and recycled pulps and produced a variety of printing papers that performed as good or better than comparable products made from wood. You can view some examples of the work produced by our over 2,500 customers by clicking the Printed Samples link at the bottom of this page

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Q. Is kenaf paper recyclable?

A. Yes it is. We have routinely used our production "broke" in subsequent mill runs. We have also used damaged rolls and sheets of 100% kenaf paper in our blends of kenaf and recycled pulps. We have done this work at commercial mills, and in large volumes, and produced excellent sheet properties, while maintaining standard machine speeds. In the words of one mill manager, "Recycling the kenaf was a piece of cake!" You can view a more technical discussion of this topic by clicking the Library link below and go to technical papers and discussions.

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Q. What about other non-wood fibers?

A. While certain other fibers may offer opportunities in specific locations, it is worth considering that when the U.S. Department of Agriculture studied over 500 non-wood plants in the 1950's and 1960's they choose kenaf as the most viable alternative to trees. Basically, the growth rate, the chemical composition of the plant and ease of pulping, and its similarity to hardwood and softwood fibers distinguished it as the most viable alternative fiber to wood.

Some interesting research and development is being conducted on certain other non-wood fibers, and we try to stay up-to-date on the state of the art. We are supportive of any non-wood alternative that is environmentally and economically sound. Again, visit our library for more discussion of other non-wood fibers.

Q. I really like this concept, what can I do to help?

A. Our biggest needs are financial resources and strategic partners. You can view the latest news section by clicking the link below to se if our need matches your resources. If you are of a mind, you can write your congressman and stress the need for alternative fiber and fuel sources to help combat global climate change. We appreciate any help we can get.

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Updated: June 10, 2008 04:11 PM