Kajkao

Kajkao is a design and material research project by an Italian-Ecuadorian team, operating as Lako Studio S.A.S., that turns agricultural waste from cocoa harvesting into biodegradable and compostable materials. Around half of the cocoa pod is used to make chocolate and the rest is discarded; Kajkao recovers that residue and processes it at room temperature, keeping the process low-impact.

Architects, product and graphic designers, an anthropologist and researchers work between design practice and academia, developing semi-finished materials and prototypes for packaging, objects and products. The materials are still in development and not for sale. The aim is to add a new income stream for cocoa farmers in Ecuador, through collection centres and knowledge transfer, and to close the chocolate production cycle.