By Cris Evert Lato
Cebu Daily News
CEBU CITY, Philippines - After Cebuano designer Kenneth Cobonpue won accolades for his furniture designs and products in the international market, here comes another Cebuano, Pete Delantar, whose furniture pieces were showcased during the 50th annual Grammy Awards last month.
Delantar, president of Nature's Legacy Home and Garden, said his company’s eco-friendly product line, Naturescast, was presented at the Grammy Awards Talent Gift Lounge, a sideline attraction.
According to United States magazine Furniture Today, the lounge was used by show presenters and performers during rehearsals.
The lounge showcases furniture items from four members of the Sustainable Furniture Council of the US (SFC).
Nature's Legacy is the only Filipino member company of the SFC.
Products of the Naturescast brand are vases, chairs and tables. They are made of dry leaves, dead twigs and barks from the forests of Balamban, Compostela and Borbon towns in Cebu.
It was first introduced internationally last 2004 in Frankfurt, Germany.
Delantar said Oprah Winfrey's stylist Reggie Wells, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, American singer Cyndi Lauper and Amy Lee, former band member of the group Evanescence were some of the celebrities who “sat on my chair” and “examined my products.”
Delantar said when he saw Bocelli, he immediately called the tenor “Señor Bocelli.” Hearing his name, Bocelli, turned to the direction of Delantar's voice and was guided by his wife.
“He felt my chair and said 'Grazie, grazie (Thank you).' We were covered by 40 editors and writers, celebrities, who checked out our items. These are things that we didn't plan,” he said.
Delantar left for the US in December 2007 to promote eco-friendly products of the company under the Naturescast brand name.
His wife, Cathy, said forest wastes such as leaves and twigs were shredded using a special machine and bonded together using an odorless water-based binder.
These materials are then used to make products such as vases, stools, tables and chairs among others.
Cathy said even before the concept of environment-friendly products became a worldwide fad, the company already implemented “responsible manufacturing processes,” which involve recycling and water retention practices among others.
With the Grammy exposure, the couple expects more foreign companies to recognize Cebu and Philippines as sources of innovative products.
“It tells them something different is going on in the Philippines. Once information is disseminated, we open a lot of possibilities,” they said.
Aside from export and manufacturing sectors, they said tourism and retail can enjoy a greater boost from the heightened attention of foreigners.
Naturescast items were also used as give-aways during the 80th Annual Academy Awards after partnering with American company, Distinctive Assets.
Delantar said companies can still earn from the US market despite worries from fellow exporters that exporting to America is non-profitable.
“It depends on the company what specific aspect of the US market they are focusing. In any market even if the economy is having some drawbacks, there are still areas that are growing,” he said.
Cathy, a human resource and corporate strategy officer, said the US market is still big for the company.
“Traditionally, the weakening of the US economy will somehow affect us because they (Americans) are still our number one trading partner but (it) depends on the market that you're serving and the kind of product that you're producing,” she said.
Aside from the US, the company's home furniture items and accessories are exported to Europe, Australia, Japan, United Kingdom, Canada and South America.
