About Kapok

Kapok is…

…doing more of what’s right rather than
what’s convenient, easy, and cheap…

…knowing that our everyday decisions do matter and
that a small change made by many can be more powerful
than a drastic change made by only a few…

… meaningful support for conservation…

…the environmentalist inside all of us…

 

 

The Kapok

Rising above rainforest canopies in South America, West Africa, and Southeast Asia, each Kapok tree is a vital component within a fragile ecosystem. Poison Arrow frog tadpoles develop in tiny pools of water held within bromeliad plants growing on the tree. The crown branches form a span 200 feet above the rainforest floor and are an irreplaceable habitat for an immense variety of life—birds, reptiles, insects, and mammals all depend on the Kapok.

Thousands of years ago, the Taino people of the Caribbean traveled from island to island in dugout canoes carved from the trunks of Kapok trees. In the late 1800’s, sailors discovered that soft fibers from the Kapok seed pods were buoyant and water resistant and could be used in lifejackets—a much more comfortable alternative to the hard cork that was commonly used at the time.

Ancient Mayans considered the Kapok tree sacred and legend said that after death the soul climbed its branches into heaven. Indigenous people’s belief in the spiritual power of the Kapok continues today—the trees are often spared when rainforests are cleared—leaving a towering reminder where an entire forest once stood.

This giant of the rainforest once exemplified a respectful and harmonious relationship between humans and nature…it can again.