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COCO AFRICA: FINELY CRAFTED WOODEN KITCHENWARE

January 06, 2021 3 min read

The Coco Africa team of artisans in their workshopcrafting their wooden home and kitchen products. Coco Africa wooden home décor products are available at Sarza home goods and furniture store in Rye New York

CREATING BEAUTIFUL, PRACTICAL ITEMS FOR EVERYDAY

The Coco Africa workshop in Franschhoek, South Africa produces high quality, solid wood kitchen and lifestyle products. The timeless designs have a handmade, homely feel. They are beautiful yet practical enough to be used every day.

A selection of Coco Africa kitchenware wooden boards, all created from solid wood. Coco Africa wooden home décor products are available at Sarza home goods and furniture store in Rye New York

A selection of Coco Africa kitchenware pinch pots for salt and pepper. Coco Africa wooden home décor products are available at Sarza home goods and furniture store in Rye New York

A selection of Coco Africa wooden boards. Coco Africa wooden home décor products are available at Sarza home goods and furniture store in Rye New York

MEET THE TEAM OF CRAFTERS

A member of the Coco Africa team of artisans at work in the wood workshop, smiling to camera. Coco Africa wooden home décor products are available at Sarza home goods and furniture store in Rye New York

The small skilled and dedicated team of craftspeople have the highest standards of manufacturing, joinery and finishing. Aubrey heads the production, concentrating on perfect joinery. Assistants Michael & Eldriek process rough stock and finish jointed items to perfection. Cindy focuses on design and marketing and provides final quality control: no items leave the shop without having been looked over and lovingly felt.

The Coco Africa team of artisans crafting their wooden home and kitchen products. Coco Africa wooden home décor products are available at Sarza home goods and furniture store in Rye New York

THE SHEER JOY OF MAKING BEAUTIFUL THINGS

What drives the team? A real pride in their craft and the joy of working together to create beauty. Cindy tells us:

"The excitement of the wood arriving, watching the patina appear as the planks are processed. The scent of the natural wood oils in the dust. A few sneezes in between. Seeing the designs form as the wood gets a new life. Giving the designs a name. The smell of the wood as the branding iron burns the logo. The relationship and respect for each other as wood lovers in production. Working alongside a team of creative people. Establishing meaningful relationships with our clients. Working in such a beautiful part of the world. The sheer joy of making beautiful things."

A selection of Coco Africa kitchenware products – small bowls, pots and heartshaped platters, all created from solid wood. Coco Africa wooden home décor products are available at Sarza home goods and furniture store in Rye New York

INSPIRED BY SOUTH AFRICA’S CAPE FOX

Many people ask about the workshop’s signature Cape Fox and Morning Star logo. The Franschhoek mountains, near the Coco Africa workshop are home to the Cape Fox.

This petit endemic fox has black and silver-grey fur with flanks and underside a light russet yellow. The tip of its tail is always black. To show excitement the fox lifts its tail. The extent to which the tail is raised is usually an indication of the level of excitement. The Coco Africa fox is full of anticipation.

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The Cape Fox is nocturnal and most active just before dawn, beneath the morning star, or after dusk when sheltering in burrows. The Coco Africa team share this appreciation of the calm and collected time before and after the craziness of the day. The inspiration for their products and their refined design usually appears outside of office hours.

THE WONDER OF WOOD

The team at Coco Africa are passionate about the medium with which they work. Over time wood develops its own warmth and charm, taking on the character of the environment in which it finds itself, in a way that plastic and metals cannot. Did you know that wood naturally absorbs and releases moisture to balance its internal moisture content with its surrounding environment? It’s a perfect material for those seeking to create an eco-friendly, non-toxic home environment.

Coco Africa wooden serving board with a selection of tapas on it. Coco Africa home décor products are available at Sarza home goods and furniture store in Rye New York

WHY WE LOVE COCO AFRICA

We are passionate supporters of small batch, artisan crafters like Coco Africa. We love the handmade, minimalist beauty of these wooden tabletop and kitchen wares. They are timeless and durable; beautiful enough to make a statement, practical enough to use every day. Wood is such a gorgeous material and the grain and hand finishing mean that no two pieces are exactly the same. We love to envisage these pieces, with the little Cape Fox, at the center of your family table.

SHOP COLLECTION

All images courtesy of @coco.africa.