KOKONO™ is a cradle conceived by De-LAB to mitigate the health and safety risks to which babies below one year of age are exposed in poor living conditions. KOKONO™ will physically protect them, indoor and outdoor, while staying at home or moving.
KOKONO™ is a patented product. The innovativeness of KOKONO™ is to be born for addressing the needs of low-income communities. This is visible in its design, ideated by the designer Enrico Bassi: versatile, robust and simple; in its materials, for their 70% biodegradable; in its inclusive business model which aims at entering the local market with an accessible price and thanks to the engagement of local partners; in the partnerships that have been enforced to create a powerful ecosystem of actors able to support and contribute to KOKONO™’s diffusion.
KOKONO™ has been designed from scratch to be aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations Agenda 2030.
The Kokono mosquito net is treated. We recommend leaving it in the open air for three to four hours and washing it twice with soap and water to avoid any – albeit very rare – skin intolerance reactions.
Now some clarity on the environmental and management aspects of the Kokono product and project:
1) What do we mean when we say that Kokono is green?
The cradle is designed with a plastic material to which an additive is added that reduces its biodegradability time. It means that, compared to standard plastic, it decomposes much sooner and the decomposition process turns the cradle shell into water, methane, humus and carbon dioxide. This process occurs when the cradle is abandoned in the open air (thus in open landfills) or in water. Whenever we present Kokono we always explain this process and specify that the characteristic of being more biodegradable (and faster) than other products refers to the cradle shell.
2) Does biodegradability refer to the whole product?
No, the above characteristic refers to the cradle shell, which accounts for more than 70% of the volume of the entire product. To date, unfortunately, there are no mosquito nets made of biodegradable material, nor are there any mattresses. These two components, like the handle cord, are made from standard materials. If you know of any green products in these categories, please let us know, and we will be super happy to evaluate their use (hoping they are available in Uganda)/!
3) What happens with the packaging?
Kokono has no packaging, that is, it is sold without plastic or other packaging. In fact, the product is designed to be stackable so as to save space and avoid boxes or wrapping. All crib components are placed inside the mattress cover, which is made of cotton. In our warehouse, the mattresses are covered with a plastic sheet provided to us by our supplier, which is used to protect the product from dust.
4) How do we handle logistics?
Our cribs are shipped via boda-boda (up to 10/15 pieces). For larger numbers it is the customer himself who retrieves the material. We suggest using public transportation, but in Kampala this is not an easy option, which is why customers often arrange for the pieces to be retrieved by a large truck to hold them all, so that multiple trips are avoided.
5) When you say that Kokono is “Made in Uganda,” what do you mean?
Kokono is entirely manufactured and assembled in Uganda. The shell is made locally, as are the mats, mosquito nets and handle. Instructions and stickers are printed locally and included in the sales kit by our team in Kampala.
6) Do you involve local people in the cradle production process?
Of course, since our suppliers are Ugandan, all of the people involved in the production of Kokono are local. In particular, the supplier who works on the production of the mosquito nets and handles (customized for our cradle) involves disadvantaged women, so from this point of view Kokono is a project that promotes the social inclusion of fragile people, who are involved in the production of the mosquito nets and handles
If you have further questions, please write to us at: info@delab.it.
© 2024 De-LAB S.r.l. Società Benefit - P.I. 10351340962 | info@delab.it | credits
