Bambaw Coconut Bowl

Bambaw’s coconut shell bowls are made by artisans in Bali, Indonesia. The coconut shells are carefully selected, based on their size. Once selected, they can start their new life as coconut bowls. They get a flattened bottom to make sure they do not wobble over before being polished with a coconut oil. 

Upcycling is a zero-waste philosophy in which something valuable is created from unwanted items others would have regarded as trash. This practice reduces waste and emissions, as it keeps a lot of usable material outside the waste stream. 

Upcycling coconut shells

During the production of coconut oil, the coconut shells are a by-product, and are usually burned openly. This practice is highly unsustainable because it releases a lot of unnecessary CO2 and methane emissions. Instead, the coconut shell can be made into a useful product.

Coconut shells are ideal for upcycling because they can be transformed into sturdy, natural coconut bowls. The material is very abundant and compostable. Unfortunately, the sheer amount of coconut oil production makes open burning the easiest and most cost-effective option for the producers.