Mango Wood Handicrafts - An Ecological Choice
Illegal logging especially of tropical woods rightly has received negative press in recent years. However, there are examples for ecologically sustainable use of timber in home decoration.
One of these examples is the use of mango wood, especially for hand crafted gifts and collectibles from Thailand.
Historic reference to the fruits of mango trees dates back to about 4000 B.C.: In the Hindu Vedas referenced is made to mangos as the “food of the gods”. Appreciation of the sweet richness of the mango fruit is plentiful the world over and reaches into colloquial use of language: in Central America for example a handsome male is referred to as a “mango”.
The fame of the wood is more recent that of the fruit of mango trees. Mango trees grow fast and are replanted permanently for the fruit business, thus making the usage of the by-product mango wood for handicrafts a very obvious and ecological choice. Mango wood gifts are natural decorative items that come in a variety of shades and grains and an ecological dream at the same time.
In Thailand, mango wood crafts such as vases, bowls and tableware are hand crafted piece by piece. Glass containers enable mango vases to hold water and have become a popular collectible in Asian art décor.
Mango wood vases are carved from a solid piece of wood and then fired in a kiln to achieve an attractive finish for these unique gifts from Thailand.
Svend Nelson is a university lecturer and Internet entrepreneur specializing in online business strategy and marketing. While he is active in various industries; his online presences in the arts and crafts industry include Thailand handicrafts and ceramics from Vietnam. Svend lived and worked in various countries across Latin America, Europe and Asia before settling on Koh Samui in Thailand.
