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BY EDISON JOSEPH GONZALES

Tim Ng never imagined that one of the world’s most disposable items – bamboo chopsticks – could be at the heart of a business reshaping sustainability in the Philippines.

In an interview on BNC’s “It’s A Beautiful Day” on Thursday, Ng, founder of ChopValue Philippines, is turning what many throw away without a thought into sleek furniture, home goods, and corporate decor for luxury hotels.

The idea started over sushi in Vancouver, Canada, when German bamboo engineer Felix Böck wondered what could be done with the chopsticks discarded after every meal.

“We throw them away all the time, but it’s actually bamboo,” Ng recalled Böck saying. That spark led Böck to invest in specialized equipment and create ChopValue, a brand committed to giving used chopsticks a second life.

Ng discovered the concept at a sustainability conference and recognized its potential in the Philippines, a country he noted contributes roughly 30 percent of the world’s ocean plastic waste.

“Because we’re an island nation, a lot of what we throw away ends up in the ocean,” Ng said. “Starting with something as simple as a chopstick felt like a way to inspire bigger change.”

Bringing the idea to Manila, however, required more than passion. Ng had to introduce the technology and persuade restaurants and malls to participate in a supply chain that transforms trash into raw material.

“It was literally me going from restaurant to restaurant saying, ‘Hi, my name is Tim. I’d like your chopsticks,’” he said.

Collected chopsticks are brought to ChopValue’s facility, where they are sorted, dipped in a water-based resin, and baked for 12 hours to kill bacteria.

“From there, we press them in high heat and get tiles,” Ng explained. “From these tiles, we make everything – phone stands, coasters, desks, even wall panels.”

Each product carries more than just aesthetic value. ChopValue operates as a carbon-negative business, meaning its work actively reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

“We’re not cutting down forests. We’re keeping everything local – collection, production, and delivery. Even our machines are energy efficient,” Ng said. “And because the material is so durable, the products last longer, which means fewer replacements.”

The material itself is surprisingly strong. “It’s stronger than maple and harder than oak,” Ng said. He compared the principle to an old proverb – “If you break one chopstick, it’s easy. But if you try to break several together, it’s almost impossible. That’s exactly the philosophy behind what we’re doing.”

A niche concept has steadily attracted both high-end brands and everyday consumers. ChopValue now supplies custom designs for hotels, while also selling retail items such as charcuterie boards and phone holders.

“Essentially, anything you can make in a woodshop, we can make with this material,” Ng said.

Ng calls the company’s strategy a “pincer approach,” engaging corporate clients for large-scale impact while encouraging individuals to adopt small, sustainable changes at home.

“We want to start the conversation in people’s living rooms as well as boardrooms,” he said.

The public response has been overwhelmingly positive. “More people than you’d think are aware of the waste problem and the need for solutions,” Ng said. Each product is tagged not only with the number of chopsticks used but also with the amount of carbon saved, helping customers visualize their own role in environmental change.

ChopValue launched its e-commerce platform, chopvalue.ph, alongside an active social media presence to make the products more accessible. Ng also sees opportunities for expanding collection efforts, such as placing dedicated drop-off bins in restaurants to encourage wider participation.

ChopValue is a way of thinking differently about waste and sustainability. “It’s not just about making things,” Ng said. “It’s about rethinking what we value and how we use resources.”