FURNITURE “greenovator” Pedro Delantar Jr. of Nature’s Legacy Eximport (NLE) is on cloud nine. He recently won over 831 entries in this year’s Tuklas for Outstanding Invention Award, one of six categories in the 2014 National Invention Contest and Exhibits organized by the Department of Science and Technology. He won a cash prize of P150, 000.
Called “Molded Particle Product with Cast Paper-Based Reinforcement,” Delantar’s invention, also known as Casa Eco, is a “high breed” version of Naturescast, NLE’s patented lightweight material made of ground twigs, leaves and seeds held together by a proprietary water-based binder.
The resulting material can be shaped or sculpted into customizable, multitextured and sustainable home furnishings, such as chairs, vases or wall art.
“My winning the top prize is manna from heaven. Furthermore, it’s a fulfillment for being an inventor,” said Delantar in a recent interview with the BusinessMirror.
He also received the World Intellectual Property Organization Award for Inventors, and possibly will represent the Philippines to present his invention in Geneva, Switzerland.
His Casa Eco happened by accident, Delantar said.
While he was checking his factory in Cebu, he saw mounds of dried twigs, the waste material from the wood they used in the factory.
Aware of the current environmental concerns, Delantar did not burn the twigs and instead opted to recycle them.
“I said to myself why not utilize these resources. I studied the right texture that could be applied to the twigs,” he added.
As part of his advocacy, Delantar tells people in the workplace and the community that simple materials such as twigs could still be useful.
“We are short of resources. Recycling and applying the principle of urban mining, also known as top of the ground mining such as industrial waste, is one way to promote sustainabilility,” Delantar said.
He said Case Eco materials are perfect for wall panels, flooring and ceiling. Materials treated into fine elements are good for home decorations, while materials which had undergone medium-level process are intended for walls. Heavily treated materials are perfect for floors.
If a homeowner wishes to use Casa Eco material on the exterior of the house, Delantar said he has to apply extra treatment by using polyurethane. Delantar said a simple housing unit could use Casa Eco materials up to 30 percent for ceilings, partitions, floors and walls.
The materials also require lower maintenance cost because they do not require painting and give a cooler effect in the home, he said.
“My invention is so simple and very practical. I wish every Filipino will be encouraged to invent something even out of nothing—from things we take for granted or considered as scrap, castaway, or of no value,” Delantar said.
“We must keep looking, keep experimenting…. It took me two years to perfect Casa Eco.”
By using recycled materials, Delantar said the country could conserve its resources, such as timber. This is very important, since the country is implementing a log ban.
Delantar said Nature’s Legacy is starting to market Casa Eco materials to the hospitality establishments, such as hotels and restaurants in Cebu. By achieving its current milestone, Delantar said he expects it to create more awareness for Nature’s Legacy.
“Personally, I want the business to grow exponentially, and we have to respond fast to capitalize on the opportunity,” he said.
“The award is very important for us, as it elevates us from the competition [in the industry],” he added.
NLE currently exports home accessories and furnishings to 41 countries. It also exports fashion accessories also made of recycled non-timber agro-forest debris under the brand Floreia to 28 countries. It exports to countries including Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, the the United States, the United Kingdom, Portugal, United Arab Emirates and Japan.
Delantar has patents in the US, Europe, the Philippines, Vietnam and China. Naturescast, which is one of Delantar’s latest inventions in collaboration with his wife Cathy, caught the attention of the Sustainable Furniture Council (SFC), a US-based nonprofit balanced coalition of industry players that was created to promote sustainable practices among manufacturers, retailers and consumers. He is the only Filipino invited to be one of the founding members of SFC.
Besides being a businessman, designer, inventor and environmentalist, Delantar is also a social entrepreneur. He is a director of Nature’s Legacy Foundation, which received the 2007 Child-Friendly Organization Award given by the Employers’ Confederation of the Philippines, International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Nature’s Legacy has often been cited by international institutions, such as the ILO, the Canadian International Development Agency and the German Development Service for best environment and corporate social responsibility practices.