EcoDeco Taller: An environmentally friendly life project
“I wanted to work with recycled materials, think how I could contribute to society and the environment.”
Decorative products with an imperfect finish, that combine aesthetics and functionality, and also use recycled materials, have become increasingly fashionable.
In the Cuban market, enterprises have emerged that make the most of this line of work. Such is the case of EcoDeco Taller, a business founded by young woman, Shallya Sánchez, committed to making the best use of any material to transform it into a decorative object, brimming with creativity.
Shallya is an Information Sciences graduate of the University of Havana, but as soon as she completed her Social Service (a period of internship undertaken after graduation), she knew she no longer wanted to spend a minute longer sitting behind a desk.
“I’m not made for office work,” she confesses. “One day, together with my boyfriend, I made a computer desk with some old pallets, and was surprised with the result. That’s when I knew what I wanted to do.”
Shallya’s grandfather was a carpenter, as was her father, so she had a link to this trade since her childhood. Thus it was that she set herself the task of reviving the old family carpenter’s workshop, to set up a different kind of business, based on responsible and ecological consumption.
“It is precisely from there that the name EcoDeco Taller emerged, as it is a brand that instantly indicates who we are and what we do. I like drawing, making art, and I saw the possibility of applying that. I searched online for images of objects I would like to have in my own home, and with that I prepared my first catalog,” Shallya explains.
EcoDeco Taller is a family business. Shallya, aged just 26, is in charge of customer relations, the financial side of the venture, and advertising on social media; her cousin Daniel David is master of works, alongside other carpenters.
The main material used are wooden pallets, usually used to transport goods, almost always acquired through donations or exchanges. Once in the workshop, the pallets are taken apart, any nails that are salvageable are recycled, and the best planks of wood are selected to sand down and cut, according to the client’s request.
Shallya has opted for a rustic finish to her products, which by no means indicates a lack of quality or professionality, but rather a distinctive stamp that makes them stand out from competitors.
“Using recycled planks has allowed me to reduce costs and sell at lower prices. For me, it is important to be fair; it’s a case of earning a living and improving my workshop. If the client is comfortable, they will come back, and that’s a double gain.”
Having been in business for just three months, EcoDeco Taller is already creating a buzz on social media. According to Shallya, the Internet has been key to the development of her project, as the origins of many of her pieces are found on Pinterest. Her pages on Facebook and Instagram are a space to showcase finished pieces, and promote a lifestyle in harmony with the environment.
“When I’m not in the workshop learning, I am responsible for commercial and public relations. As we already have finished works, recommendations are growing. It is very important to advance with small, but concrete steps, as we are a small business and, for now, we cannot take on too many projects at a time.”
While many Cubans recycle or reuse items out of necessity, doing so consciously and in an organized way is an outstanding task. There are increasing numbers of enterprises that are undertaking social responsibility strategies that allow them to grow, while contributing to the development of the country. In order to continue promoting that ideology, EcoDeco Taller came up with Miércoles Ecológicos (Ecological Wednesdays), a section on its social media pages where advice on how to lead a more environmentally friendly lifestyle is shared.
“Since starting up, I have come to realize that there are several self-employed ventures immersed in the area of recycling, but I would like us to become something more than that. I remember when I was a little girl, my mum would put candy wrappers in her purse to avoid them being thrown on the street, and that was always something instilled in me.”
“I want EcoDeco Taller to also become an environmentally friendly life project. For people, in their own homes, to be inspired by our creations to try and make their own pieces of furniture, for me that would represent real success.”