Las Pinas Arts and Crafts Center: Charcoal made from Coconuts!

Yes, the Las Pinas Arts and Crafts Center - a center for environmental livelihood projects is living proof of a future for a trashless, pollution free society. Living true to its advocacy of providing livelihood to lift those in impoverished out of poverty, the brilliant minds at Villar SIPAG has done it again.

We, the Sulyap team, have a question for those who are really into barbecuing and grilling outside. Have you ever heard and used smokeless charcoal? If this is your first time hearing about smokeless charcoal, then this is the article for you culinary grillers out there!

Yes you heard us right! Smokeless charcoal briquettes made from locally sourced coconut husks. The best part is that it is completely environmentally friendly! Now, you might be wondering, how is this smokeless charcoal briquettes made?

Charcoal or “Uling” as we call it, is made in this facility through a series of steps. First, coconut husks are collected all throughout the city and is grinded in order to get the coconut fibers. Now, what happens to the coconut fibers you might ask. The coconut fibers are transferred to the Coconut Coir and Peat Enterprise facility, where coconut nets are made and some are sent to the Villar SIPAG Fertilizer Facility. You may read about the Coconut and Peat Enterprise in our different article here.

The leftovers from the grinding are transferred to another facility, the Composting Facility of the Villar SIPAG. The coconut husks are now carbonized through a special process that is much more efficient than regular carbonization of regular charcoal. Lastly, the now smokeless charcoal is left to cool. The charcoal is ultimately sold to the public also available at the Las Pinas Arts and Crafts Center. More good news? It is sold out almost everyday as it is bought by those who have respiratory complications due to its smokeless characteristic. You didn’t just save the Earth by buying these charcoal briquettes, but you also saved your respiratory system from inhaling the smoke when you burn the charcoal for your grilling!

Head down now to the Las Pinas Arts and Crafts Center, to support our local workers and avail the smokeless charcoal only for a small price of P15.