At the same time Crist has been writing multiple teaser posts about our upcoming Authentica shops we continually search for both classic and innovative artisanally crafted items to highlight there. Each discovery feels like stumbling upon a gem while sifting through stones.

Those discoveries have even more personal impact when they have an upcycled or recycled element. Wagát Upcycling Lab is just one of those exciting discoveries.

I would be hard-pressed to innumerate the many reasons to highlight this product workshop. Where to start? Completely run by women, taking a serious waste problem by the horns and jumping in with a “can do”, entrepreneurial spirit. Focussed completely on upcycling plastics that are already in the consumer product stream. Doing all this with a sense of pride and humor – using the strength of symbolism to name not only the company with words from an indigenous culture of Costa Rica, but the machines that make the work possible as well.

Wagát Upcycling Lab products at Authentica

We had a hard time looking for a name. We tried EVERYTHING, but finding a name all four of us liked was not working out. One of us found out that “huagát” [wagát] means dark green in Boruca. The Borucas are an indigenous people of Costa Rica. We found it! It represents our love for the planet, our love for our country, our love for our community. This is why a heart is at the center of our logo.

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A very important step in the plastic recycling process is turning discarded plastic into pellets. For this process we use our shredder which was built based on the designs of the Precious Plastic team. We named our shredder “La Ronca.” Ron cá means destroyed in Boruca a language of an indigenous tribe of Costa Rica. She was our first “baby” and we love having her as part of our team.

The heart is at the center of their logo, but that’s not the only place it resides. We’re proud to be sharing their work with the world at Authentica!