Cacao leaves furniture
An entrepreneur is looking at the cacao tree at a different angle to producing something that will make homes brighter
Who says cacao is only for satisfying sweet buds and craving appetites?
For artist and entrepreneur Telesforo Zosa Jr. he saw a great potential in fusing artwork and furniture through cacao leaves.
His business Teles Creations shifts the interest of Dabawenyos in appreciating cacao leaves as lamps bringing light to your homes.
“It was an experiment on how to help introduce Davao City on cacao products aside from the known chocolates, tablea, and bean-based products,” Zosa said in an interview during the Philippine Cacao and Chocolate Festival on October 18, 2018 at the Davao Convention Center
He added that the idea started only from the suggestion of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI 11) assistant regional director Edwin O. Banquerigo.
“I was asked by sir Edwin kung possible bang magawan ng paaraan to innovate on the cacao product that’s why tiningnan ko yung possibility on focusing on the leaves instead (I was asked by sir Edwin if it would be possible to innovate on cacao products; that is why I looked at the possibility of focusing on the leaves instead),” Zosa said.
Zosa added this would be a game changer for the cacao industry. Though he admitted that he did not know where to start when it came to the cacao leaves, it was not a reason for him to stop developing a product.
“Ang ginawa ko nagresearch ako nang maigi. Kasi one of the major problems ko ay kung paano i-fossilize ang dahon. I tried watching videos para matingnan kung ano rin ang ginagawa ng mga artist hanggang sa I found the right way to fossilize it (I did my research on it. One of my major problems was on how to fossilize the leaves. I tried watching videos to see how other artists are also doing it until I found the right way to fossilize it),” Zosa added.
He also said his Teles Lamps, as he would call it, is beneficial in keeping leaves as wastes in the cacao plantation once farmers decide to trim cacaos.
The lamps are hand-made while the lamp stands are molded from clay. Zosa said the designs of the lamps are inspired from the forest trees, radiating a sense of serenity from the environment. The prices ranges from P5,000 per piece.
It was an experiment on how to help introduce Davao City on cacao products aside from the known chocolates, tablea, and bean-based products TELESFORO ZOSA JR. Artist and entrepreneur