KOCHI: God’s Own Country and coconut trees have an unbreakable bond. The very fact that the state got its name from the tall, lanky trees with lush green fronds dotting not only the beaches but also the islands, explains this deep relationship.
Another fact about the coconut tree is that it is also known as ‘kalpavriksha’. Not a single part of the tree goes to waste. On World Coconut Day, TNIE talks to some entrepreneurs who have successfully utilised various parts of the tree to manufacture and sell home decor and utensils.
Artisan brooms
What image does the word ‘chool’ or broom bring to your mind? It elicits the picture of a humble household item used to sweep the courtyards. And these are later dumped in some corner of the storeroom or the kitchen. However, this is the story of how the humble brooms made of coconut leaf midribs not only turned into designer items but also became a means of livelihood for around 15 visually impaired women. The brand Choolala. “It all started when I was staying at Sitaram Ayurveda beach resort. One day, I came upon workers cutting coconut fronds.
So, just for fun, I tried making brooms out of the coconut leaf midribs. I found that I could make around seven to eight brooms in a day,” said Lakshmi Menon, designer and social entrepreneur. Just to satisfy her curiosity, she searched e-commerce sites like Amazon and found that these brooms were fetching prices in the range of I250. “This made me realise that a huge potential lay before any women. So, I began thinking of inculcating some design elements in these brooms.
And I came across an organisation that catered to the visually impaired,” she said. “The organisation was on the verge of closure. So, I thought why not come up with designs that can be made by these women? These products have some imperfections. However, there is beauty in these imperfections and this is what increases their value,” she said. And these imperfections are the signature of Choolala, she added.
Lamps and shades
Coco Crafters is a seven-month-old business venture born out of one of the three founders’ passions for making artefacts using coconut shells.“I enjoy the process of turning coconut shells into showpiece items. I fell in love with these poor shells at a very young age,” said Santhosh R, who has been featured in the India Book of Records for making a cradle out of coconut shells. “Give me a few pieces now, and I would happily craft interesting things for you,” he said.Santhosh said the idea of turning this passion into a business venture was the brainchild of his childhood friend, Shiyas Rahim. “We invited another friend, Sarath Sisupalan, who was also into making crafts using coconut shells and other materials.” According to Shiyas, Coco Crafters has become a source of income for many homemakers at Veliyam in Kollam.
Artisan dinnerwares
The childhood dream to start a business saw Maria Kuriakose launch a venture that was not just environment-friendly but sustainable. And ‘Thenga’ came into being. According to her, the inspiration for Thenga came after a visit to a coconut oil mill in Thrissur. “I saw that the coconut shells were being discarded,” she said. Maria then researched the possibilities of using coconut shells to make various dinnerware. “In 2019, I decided to sell coconut-shell-based products and spoke to artisans who were into making these items,” she added. Everything, even the varnish, is natural about the products, said Maria. The business has sold over 8,000 products and continues to receive orders from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.