Coconut Palm
The origin of the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) is the subject of an ongoing debate. The term is derived from the 16th-century Portuguese and Spanish word coco meaning "head" or "skull". Coconut palms grow throughout the tropics in more than 92 countries of the world, most of which is in tropical Asia.
These palms thrive on sandy soils and is highly tolerant of salinity. They require warm conditions for successful growth, and are intolerant of cold weather. Since coconut is a available round the year, to the people living in the tropical areas of the world, the coconut palm is the “tree of life" or the "tree of abundance". Known for it's versatility, it has been an important source of food, clothing and shelter for thousands of years. There are two varieties of coconut palm: tall and dwarf. The tall variety is commonly planted for commercial purposes.
With a life span of 60-80 years, it is considered a “three-generation tree” as it can support a farmer, his children, and his grandchildren. The dwarf variety is about a third the size, has a shorter life span and is difficult to grow, but valued because it produces coconuts earlier than the tall tree.
Coconut Shell
The Coconut shell is the strongest part covered in the coconut fruit. Located in between the coconut flesh and coconut husk. With the shell thicknesss around 3-6mm, it is naturally created to protect the inner part of coconut. It has good durability characteristics, and is similar to hard woods in chemical composition. It's high toughness and abrasion resistant properties makes it suitable for long standing use.
The coconut shell is considered to be the most versatile part of the coconut. It is widely used in activated carbon industries, for charcoal making, and in the last few decades, it has gained popularity for various handicrafts. It is eco-friendly, easy to work with and is a non-exhaustible natural resource.
Coconut Bark
The Coconut bark is the tough outer layer of the tree trunk. It is characterized with ring-like scars and rough textures in dusty grey tones. There are over 1,300 types of coconut, which can all be traced back to one of two genetic origins from either the Pacific or the Indian Ocean.
Cleaned, processed and treated coconut bark is cut and inlaid according to design, once inlay is complete, a thin coating is sprayed. Coconut bark is not polished but left as is to reveal its natural texture.
Coco Twig
Coco twigs are locally called botay ("boh-tie"). These coconut flower spikelets comes out when the tree starts to bear its flowers. It is where the nutrients pass from the roots to the fruit of the tree. These thin, round tapered twigs are mainly used in manufacturing decorative handicrafts either in-layed or used in its raw form.
Cleaned, processed and treated Coco twigs are split in half and inlaid on substrate according to design. A clear coating is poured over the material, dried then polished to reveal the material's pattern.
See material catalog here.