Core77

Sao Tome e Principe works with technology

By squirrelbait - July 13, 2006

in Tech | Object Culture | Design Business

I know, I know - enough USB stuff already, but this is a little different:

Sao Tome e Principe is a West African country with a population of about 150.000, located on the Guinea Gulf along the Equator. SEED 2006, a Design and Social Economy project financially supported by the Portuguese Cooperation and developed by designer Pedro Alegria, introduced USB flash card design to local craftsmen, all of whom had never seen or heard of such things before. The end result merges traditional "forgotten" craft with hot technology on the rise, sustaining the working families' needs and offering unique craft-designs to the masses.

The project is currently seeking large orders to maintain and increase production.

Please address all inquiries to:

Pedro Alegria @ pedro.alegria-at-gmail.com

Patrick DeCarvalho @ patrickdecarvalho-at-yahoo.fr

o

Favorite This
Q
45

Comment

Comments

RandyChip

15 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Have you seen the wooden USB sticks at http://www.flashsticks.co.uk ?

They are like the ones shown here but made from natural sticks and available for purchase.

Price, around $15 - $20. Check it out
!Report as spam
Sherpa

16 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

There are cool wooden flash drives - USB Sticks - at www.flashsticks.co.uk - These are from Europe though but are still hand made. Would like to try one.
!Report as spam
Liz

17 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

This is really great. Are they still taking orders
!Report as spam
Marty Rogers

17 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Your usb cases look very intersting. What would our landed cost be to Chicago, IL USA? Thanks.
!Report as spam
On-Tai Ho

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

wow!these are really nice? and i like that these are different
!Report as spam
Bob

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Certainly the carved African Artwork will make these a great gift item.
!Report as spam
SirOJ

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

if it's wooden casemods you're looking for, you should check out Japanese casemod sites. Wood is really popular there.
I've seen some really cool mods there, including keyboards completely cut out of wood!

It has one significant drawback: heat guidance is really poor in those things.

!Report as spam
Harold

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

They could branch out and do i-pod cases. Looks nice.
!Report as spam
Sugaree

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

I like this product and would like more information on it, like where to purchase, how and cost. The email link you posted rendered me an error.

Thanks
!Report as spam
Aderito Santana

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

It’s really wonderful and creative. How much does it cost? Where can I buy it?
!Report as spam
TBGSUB

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

ok so when do we expect exotic case mods from India!?
I am interested in the intricate handcarved soapstone elephant case with the LED system lights in the eyeballs! and USB ports (ahem back in the rear of course, where the mouse comes from, LOL!)

this product brings the humanity of hand items, culture, and modern functionality together. Synergy at its finest.
!Report as spam
Oscar

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

If you are looking for large orders, check out this store. It specializes in Fairly Traded Handicrafts from Around the World
http://www.pasadenavillages.com/
!Report as spam
clemaire

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

that's incredible. i'd love to have a few of those.
!Report as spam
Edge

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

I REALLY hope that an honourable/fair amount goes BACK to the wages for the craftsmen who made these.

Great job! They should receive a Design award for this.
!Report as spam
john

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

why not;
what minimum order numbers are you seeking?
are the designs random?
what is shipping going to cost from Sao Tome e Principe to the US?
are you looking for small, medium, or large businesses to grab this and run?

My email box is waiting!
!Report as spam
Bob

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Can you smoke out of it?
!Report as spam
Leopold Porkstacker

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Coolness!!! There are also very skilled woodworkers in Eastern Africa as well (Kenya, Tanzania, etc.). Perhaps I can have some of my wife's family in Kenya round up some local craftsmen for a similar project (the idea being providing jobs and income for some of the poverty-stricken locals).

-he who stacks pork
!Report as spam
AdriÃ¡n

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Great idea! Where can i get one of those?
!Report as spam
Albannach

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

I would definitely buy some of theses, this is an excellent blend of tech and humanity. It would be great to hold a hand-carved piece of wood several times a day in our sterile plastic environments, if only to remind us that there is an outside.
!Report as spam
Mark

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

how do we get in touch to place the big order?
!Report as spam
Ian

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Please include details on how to order these.
!Report as spam
Jesse

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Excellent idea, it's a win-win situation with beautiful art involved, can't get any better than that =) Plus, the people there might be able to learn about the existing technology, which is also a really good bonus.
!Report as spam
Bill

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Yeah, where can I buy one of these beautiful things?
!Report as spam
Mike

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Where would one PURCHASE one of these? Several Google search combinations have not yielded the answer. Any human beings know?
!Report as spam
Josh

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

A link to purchase these would probably help them out a bit =)
!Report as spam
sal

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Pretty slick, thanks for that
!Report as spam
handy

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Yea, where do I get one? We are consumers and we wants it!
!Report as spam
Marcel

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

I'm interested in knowing how to order.
!Report as spam
Pooky

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Ok all well and good but where the hell can we buy them????
!Report as spam
Conray Tseng

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

I would be interested in distrobution/sales in the United States. Please drop me contact info if you could. Thanks in advance.
!Report as spam
Ivan

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

How cool :)
!Report as spam
Wayne

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

I'm not looking for a large order, but would be willing to pool with other people. If you knew how we could go about buying them.
!Report as spam
Marizu

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

How do we get one? What's their URL (if they have one)?
!Report as spam
Bez

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Is the wood treated in any way? If we could buy them would they get through customs? Very very cool design though, I like it alot!
!Report as spam
tristan

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

this is great, finally a way of aligning technology with '3rd' world countries. I'd happily buy one of these over a normal USB stick but let's just hope that the guys carving these things are being paid a decent amount for them.
everyone should buy one!
!Report as spam
Ian Mansfield

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

If they were to make replacement phone facias, those would sell incredibly well to the right markets.
!Report as spam
nuno

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

neat. how can we contact them for ordering? any links available?
!Report as spam
Gavin

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Wow, finally we have some pocket USB drives for hippies! Seriously though, that is a great way to help synergize old world artisans and 21st century doo-dads. Great post!!!
!Report as spam
Dave

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Anyone know where I can order these?
!Report as spam
Joe

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Ha, that is awesome. Makes me wish I could find an external HDD case like that.
!Report as spam
EngLee

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

I wonder how much does it cost.
!Report as spam
paul

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Wonderful.

is there some way to put together a syndicate to buy and resell these? Craft fairs and farmers markets would be a great place for these.

These artisans should be rewarded.

!Report as spam
Dirkus

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Ask the guys at Thinkgeek, I'm sure they could appreciate the geekfull goodness combined with the fact that you're helping to support these craftsmen. Also, I'll bet you could sell quite a few through the MAKE magazine online store as well, most of their subscribers really appreciate this type of thing. If the prices are reasonable, I know for a fact I'll buy one right now.
!Report as spam
Jabari

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

things like this are the reason why I visit Core77 daily.

Thanks :)
!Report as spam
Brian

18 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

I love this. My office has about 40 tribal masks on the wall. Any linkage on BUYING one?
!Report as spam