As humans I think we have a strong connection to natural products and wood is a material that we like to have in our homes, more than perhaps stone, metal or even glass. Each product made from natural wood (note: not machine-made wood such as MDF) has its own colour, tone and pattern, thus meaning that every wooden item is unique. You know that you are the only person on the planet possessing an item with those exact markings and shades. I believe this makes us feel a little bit special and perhaps reminds us of our own uniqueness too.
One of the nicest wood-made gifts you can give is a wooden bowl. It not only looks amazing but is practical too. Wooden bowls can be used for daily dining, or they can be used to hold salad, fruit or sweets. A bowl made from wood can also be used purely for display purposes due to its stunning natural patterns and hues.
Of course, there are other reasons to purchase and use wood-based items. Buying a natural product is often eco-friendly and biodegradable, especially if you choose to use disposable wooden products for parties or picnicking. Another thing to consider is that more and more producers of wood items are small businesses or individuals in poorer countries who now have the opportunity to sell their natural wares to us via companies that care for the environment, practice sustainability, and work towards improving the welfare of its producers.
Yes – there’s something quite special about wood!
Acacia Wood Bowls
Acacia trees are very fast growing which makes them perfect for many uses. As a hardwood, it is a very good wood for furniture making and for use in construction, and, as you can see, it is also very beautiful so it is used in carving and bowl making very often too. Acacia has a lovely tone so musical instruments are made from it and in Hawaii it’s used to make surfboards and canoes. We love the deep, rich colour of the wood and its prominent grain.
Rubberwood Bowls
Rubberwood is a light-colored tropical hardwood usually obtained from trees grown in rubber plantations. It is often promoted as being “environmentally friendly” because it makes use of plantation trees that have already served a useful function, that being the production of latex. You may also see Rubberwood products advertised as Hevea due to the Latin name of the Pará rubber tree from which the wood is acquired: Hevea brasiliensis. This wood has a dense grain and very little shrinkage making it a stable construction material and it’s great for making furniture, toys and kitchen accessories – especially bowls!
Bamboo Bowls
Technically a grass, bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on the planet. Many of the larger woody bamboo species are tree-like in appearance and are often called “bamboo trees”. They even grow to be forests, the only grass that does this. Bamboo has so many different uses. It can be used for food, textiles, construction and, of course, as a replacement from many types of products were traditional hardwood might be used, such as furniture or tableware. Bamboo is light in colour but can be stained to create different tones. It is strong, durable and very eco-friendly.
Coconut Bowls
Another ‘wooden’ product we have here which isn’t actually made of wood, but is growing very popular, are coconut bowls. This amazing looking tableware is made from the shells of coconuts that have been cut, cleaned, sanded and polished. They are food-safe, neutral in taste and recyclable. Of course, when you buy a product such as this you are helping to reduce the amount of plastic being created and reducing your own carbon footprint. We also love the patterns and colours in these coconut bowls and spoons!
Other Wooden Bowls
I’m no expert on wood (although I do like to tinker with a bit of woodworking) however I would imagine that many different types of hard wood might make great bowls for food use if treated correctly. Softer woods might pose a problems for some uses but if a bowl was to be used only for display only, a soft wood bowl might be fine. The following bowls are just a small example of four different woods that you might like to incorporate into your dining usage or home decor.
We hope that you have enjoyed reading this short article on giving a wooden bowl as a gift idea or for using in your own home as daily tableware or as a display piece.
