But Check Them First! How Expired Lottery Tickets End Up As Toilet Paper

It was an innocent question from a curious kid: "My name is Neen and my question is, how is paper made?"

You're probably thinking - I know the answer: they cut down trees.

Not necessarily. The Von Drehle Company in Hickory makes paper products like toilet paper, paper towels, facial tissues.

But it's not from trees, It's from trash. It's treated trash of course.

"Ours is 100% recycled," says Jon Thomson. "It's either been trims and cuttings from printing companies, we actually have old lottery tickets, old french fry containers and office waste."

Jon Thomson, Von Drehle Company

"All of it is put into like a big blender. It uses water and it's got big blades that chop it all up and breaks it all down into individual paper fibers."

From there the paper mixture is sent to a converting facility where they change it and cut it down into paper towels and toilet paper.

Story: WFMY News2