Card business has really dung good.

A UNIQUE range of Christmas cards pioneered in North Wales is being hailed as an example of how businesses can benefit from tapping into the "green economy".

Snowdonia-based Creative Paper Wales makes the innovative Sheep Poo Paper and has seen profits grow steadily since it was founded two years ago.

Company owners Lawrence Toms and Lez Paylor say they are catering to the growing crisis of conscience amongst Welsh consumers by manufacturing a range of products that satisfy strict environmental and quality standards.

Mr Paylor said: "We created products like our Sheep Poo Paper Christmas cards and Sheep Poo Paper wrapping paper because consumers are increasingly environmentally aware and we wanted to offer people fun but eco-friendly stationery."

The company makes its products at the Twll Golau Papermill in Aberllefenni Slate Quarry using sustainable fuel and materials. Every sheet of paper is made from recycled materials, including sheep dung, waste paper and discarded rags, using processes designed to affect the natural environment as little as possible.

The Welsh Assembly Government's Climate Change Champion Katie Mason visited Creative Paper Wales after sales of its sustainable festive wrapping paper and greetings cards rocketed in the run-up to the festive period.

Katie 16, from Tal-y-Bont, Conwy, was appointed to help spread the word on how Wales can reduce its carbon footprint and is urging other North Wales businesses to follow Creative Paper Wales' example and adopt innovative approaches to the design and manufacture of products and the delivery of services.

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Katie Mason inside the papermill