apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Ekobo employs nearly 200 bamboo artisans in Asia, particularly in Vietnam. The artisans are able to work locally in their village, and are paid a salary that is nearly 2 times higher than the market rate. Bamboo is a terrific eco-friendly material, because it grows twice as fast as a tree and its fiber has many uses — it can be woven into textiles, clothes, even coffee filters.

As Ekobo's website explains the process in further detail: "Every product is hand-crafted. Circular forms are made from an ancient technique called spun bamboo. Bamboo columns are cut length-wise with a machete into fine strips. The strips are then coiled into a spiral around a mold. A glue made from the bread tree and bamboo dust is used to assemble the strips. Using its natural form, tubular products are cut horizontally from a bamboo column. Each object is then sanded, polished and handpainted, before being wrapped in recycled plastic."

The Color Palette

The Ekobo showroom is located in Paris, but you can buy their products online at VivaTerra and The Conran Shop. They're also available at select store in New York, Boston, Santa Monica and San Francisco. See the website for more details.

We love the glossy exteriors and the wood grain interiors. Definitely a fave for us...