When people think of coconuts, they will often think of fresh coconut juice from Thailand. But Orapin Sinamonvech had another idea.
'Six years ago, I was travelling to the eastern part of Thailand when I met a coconut farmer. We talked about his life and business. Then he asked me how he could promote his farm and crops in a better way,' says the Thai woman, 40, who studied graphic design in California. 'I asked myself: is there anything I can do to help our farmers in Thailand improve their livelihoods?'
The question soon led her on a journey to find a solution.
Sinamonvech first went to stay at a friend's coconut farm. She observed the environment and the farmers, and she noticed the amount of dust that fell from coconut shells during harvesting. 'There are tonnes and tonnes of dust covering the ground, just waiting to be burned.'
Then an idea popped in her head.
She wondered if the dust could be turned into something useful. She called up agriculture experts who suggested that the waste could be used to make fibre boards.
After some help from a professor and tests by local workers, Sinamonvech made her first coconut board from the dust she collected.