but the rainforests don't only provide us with unusual and abundant plant and animal life. Many of the things families use every day are produced in tropical rainforests. And it isn't just the obvious forest products, like exotic fruits, nuts and spices, that are exported all over the world. People are often surprised to find that the main ingredients in a large number of perfumes, things like eucalyptus, ylang-ylang, and sandalwood, are harvested in the rainforests. We know wood from rainforests is used to make furniture. Less well known is the fact that bamboo furniture is also made from tropical rainforest plants. Other common items like ropes fishing lines and shampoos may have started life in the rainforests of Africa or South America. 64 UNIT 8 The World Around us