KIT DOS PECONHEIROS – PALM TREE CLIMBING EQUIPMENT

We are cofounders of KIT dos Peconheiros project in collaboration with Kafti and Peconheiros – climbers that collect açaí berries in the Amazon Rainforest. Together we have developed the world’s first solution supporting the safety of açaí collection. The set of equipment contains forearm protectors, forearm and palm protectors, knife covers, lasso for hanging açaí bunches, lasso for holding açaí bunches. This set has been developed with the local team in the Amazonian state of Pará and designed and produced in a sustainable manner. In the design process, we combined the Ecosystem Centered Design, User Centered Design and Design Thinking approaches.
 
Why is this project important?
 
For thousands of years, açaí was little known outside of the Amazon. Yet, since the 90s it has made its way from remote riverside communities to cities all over the world. Its production is based mainly on extractivism. 95% of global açaí comes from the Amazonian state of Pará in Brazil. Because of its importance for the local economy, it’s called the „Black Gold” of the Amazon. Yet, this increasing demand for açaí berries and the lack of protection results in a number of accidents.