Our Story
Mission Statement
Home of the Coconut Bowl
To live with nature by creating sustainable products that help humanity adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle, starting from the home up!
Born in Sri Lanka, our founder Ashen used to spend many summers in his grandparents' home! After watching his grandmother's artisan work in carving and polishing jewellery and cutlery out of old coconut shells, Ashen was inspired to bring this art and eco-friendly way of living to the UK. Coconuts are perfectly shaped like bowls and designed by nature for a range of uses! No plastic required!
As a digital nomad and recent business graduate, Ashen De Silva has solo travelled and volunteered around the world since 2018. Among those fulfilling cultural adventures, there was the sad sight and acknowledgement of plastic pollution and how much of an enornmous global issue it truly is! From the beaches of south-east Asia, to ten foot plastic mounds scattered across Uganda, and along the rivers of Europe. Ashen's travels led him on the path of plastic reduction.
Back in Sri Lanka in 2022, talking with his grandmother and artisans crafting coconut shells, Ashen asked if the same hand-craft techniques could be used to design minimalist and beautiful bowls that people could enjoy food from. The answer was yes! Ashen had 100 bowls made, packed them into his suitcase, and returned to the UK, confident that his family and friends would like some coconut bowls.
Back home Ashen kept his tropical travel memories alive whipping up healthy smoothies and snacks in the coconut bowls, sharing breakfast with his friends every morning! With more and more word of mouth, people saw them, tried them, and wanted to purchase them! Within a month, no bowls were left!
After a few more trips to Sri Lanka and their neighbour Vietnam, sourcing coconut shells, discovering local artisans to work with, and coming home every time with increasing demand, Ashen had a strong realisation! The coconut shell was more than a bowl, it represented the circular economy - a prime example of global sustainability for nature and the planet.
As a young entrepreneur Ashen did further research, it showed billions of coconut shells were going to waste every year as a bi-product of the coconut industry. If he could take this natural shell, give it a purpose that replaced the need for plastic bowls, then at the end of its life, compost it back into the Earth, then a beautiful and sustainable loop would be created that everyone can be a part of in their everyday lives and at the comfort of their own homes! Koko Loko was born!
