Metropolis on Singgih Kartono
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 06. 4.08
We loved the idea of Singgih Kartono's wooden radios, made by hand in Indonesia to "redefine the relationship of the user between the product" and revitalize craft industries and local skills, while using local sustainable materials. (We even put it in our Fathers Day Guide) Now Metropolis picks up the story:
"The two-toned gadget, which comes in three sizes, has been drawing praise in the design world for its appealing mix of retro and modern stylings and its use of sustainable wood. But that doesn’t even begin to tell the most compelling part of the radio’s story: the designer, Singgih Susilo Kartono, began his business to improve the economic conditions of his Indonesian village and school its residents in the ways of environmentally responsible production."
Trained in basic carpentry techniques, workers piece together the radios in assembly-line fashion.
"Contrary to expectations, teaching new employees the required basic carpentry skills (Kandangan has no inherited craft tradition) and assembly-line manufacturing proved relatively simple. “From my experience, even the most difficult trick can be taught in less than a week,” Kartono says. “The greatest challenge is to build a professional work ethic and mentality.” Today his company, Piranti Works, employs some 30 workers, who make up to 150 handcrafted radios a month. ::Metropolis
See TreeHugger:
Wooden Radio by By Singgih Kartono
Singgih Kartono's New Radio Now Available in USA : TreeHugger
Father's Day Gift Guide : TreeHugger
Thats nice and all, but is it really green to produce another un-needed product. I mean who just listens to the radio any more? Giving these as father's day presents is just wasteful as they are going to just sit around gathering dust. The only radio I have at home is the one built into the all in one dvd/vcr/home theater system. Since its all in one its replaced several other devices to the vampire load is lessoned and several other devices didn't need to me produced at all. A small single function radio would still be a waste of reosurces to produce if its unused.
Um, I listen to the radio all the time. Mostly NPR, baseball games, local college radio, college football, local high school basketball -- some of which is only available online by paying an additional fee.
Plus I don't carry my all-in-one system with me on my bike, at the local coffee shop, while jogging, or in the car.
These radios also include a receptacle for my mp3 player, so I don't think it would gather dust in my house (kids-- Father's Day is coming, hint, hint!)
It's cool and a great idea. A lot of people still listen to the radio. If everyone takes on the attitude that we only produce what we truly need we would have to say good bye to all our creature comforts and lets face it thats not going to happen. Just because I may not like something doesnt mean that theres not already a market for it and if there is, it's only a positive thing to improve its impact on the environment.
Do you think that they need to cut down more rain forests so that we can enjoy the pleasant grain of a wooden radio? Tell me, how green is deforestation?
Cutting down a tree does not mean deforestation. Trees are a renewable resource that if managed properly last indefinatly, or at least till other resource run out. And if our resources for light and water run out were pretty much screwed anyway so its not worth worring about. Its actually pretty simple you just replant the trees. In fact you can even plant enough new trees to enlarge the forest and in the long run inmprove it while still fullfilling our needs. Wood is not only renewable but you can even recycle it. And I certainly would love to be able to buy a wooden radio that looks great over a plastic one that was probably not made from recycled plastic but non renewable petroleum.