The Banana Leaf

About the Banana Leaf

Hair sticks have been used for thousands of years, and are both beautiful and functional. The Banana Leaf’s long, curved shape is inspired by the banana leaf plants that are seen all over South East Asia. The leaves are used in many Balinese Hindu ceremonies, both symbolically, and functionally as they are woven into baskets to hold offerings to the gods.

Its curved twist in the foot allows it to wrap around your hair, and the hooked point at the top holds your hair securely in place.Hair sticks are incredibly easy to use and, unlike plastic and elastic alternatives, help to reduce breakage and damage to healthy hair. The wood holds the natural oils in your hair making it a much healthier alternative.

All of our hair sticks are hand-cut and carved from sustainably sourced root wood, and finished using natural waxes. Your hair stick will arrive in recycled packaging made from papaya pulp, with a protective fabric sleeve to keep it safe when traveling. Take a look at our tutorial boards for more creative ways to style them.

Your Environmental Impact?

Planting trees is one of the best ways to fight climate change. Trees not only absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, they also provide a habitat for a diverse range of species in the rainforest.

Trees Planted

1

CO₂ Savings Per Year

50 lbs

Oxygen Generated Per Year for

2 humans

Why roots?

Wood is only a renewable and eco-friendly material if it is consciously sourced. Tropical hardwoods in particular grow very slowly and in low densities, and regenerate poorly after logging. These species are often taken from forests in non-sustainable numbers, and illegal ways.

Searching for a way of sourcing wood sustainably, SAYA Designs came across Made & Ways, sculptors who dig up and recycle root wood from old commercial plantations all across Indonesia. The roots are left behind by loggers harvesting trees on large-scale production sites. They take hundreds of years to decompose and have little value for the soil.

By using this waste material we are having as little impact on the environment as possible.

Recycled Rosewood Root

Rosewood is one of the most popular agroforestry plants in Indonesia. Its high value has encouraged over harvesting, and the natural populations of this tree are facing extinction. Since 1998 the IUCN World Conservation Agency have labeled it a vulnerable species. Scientific name: Dalbergia Latifolia

Recycled Tamarind Root

Tamarind is a soft wood usually planted for its sweet fruits. The tamarind fruit is popular in eastern cooking, as well as being used in many cosmetic products. It has a very light colour, and red and purple grains sometimes criss-cross its centre. Scientific name: Tamarindus Indica

Recycled Teak Root

The heartwood of teak (the centre of the tree) is a brownish red in colour, and it’s sapwood (the outer part) is a pale yellowish brown. Native to South East Asia it is valued for its durability and as such is in high demand for boat building, construction, and furniture. This has led to overexploitation, however, there has been a recent rise in the number of sustainable teak plantations throughout the seasonally dry tropics. Scientific name: Tectona grandis