Made in Croatia: Island Spirit Creating Cres Olive Wood Beauty

by croatiaweek
November 23, 2015
in Business

There are a lot of creative people in Croatia doing some amazingly creative things out of what nature has provided. One of those is people is Bruno Velčić…

The woodcraft enthusiast creates products out of olive wood from his native northern Adriatic island of Cres. His brand, Island Spirit, was launched last year after he cut a piece of olive wood for the first time.

“It was around April 2014 when I first cut a piece of olive wood and found the most interesting wood structure. I’ve also noticed that the wood was solid enough to make anything out of it, and that it’s quite modest volume is perfect for some oblong items,” Bruno explained to Croatia Week.

Bruno, who specialises in creating everyday items for the kitchen, says olive wood on the island until now only had one real use.

“I wanted to make something that people can use everyday, to have that glorious piece of nature around in the kitchen. People from my island were using this rare beauty only as firewood, and it’s such a shame,” he says.

All Island Spirit products are made from olive wood from the island of Cres, where Bruno’s family heritage is from.

“I have olive trees there. My grandpa was a farmer and we continue to cultivate these hundred (and more) years old monsters, that can grow on and on, even if you leave only a root. Those trees loves to be “refreshed”, so people regularly cut off almost a half of the tree during the olive harvest, so it can grow some fresh new branches for the next year. I take that wood to Rijeka, where I have Island Spirit Studio, in which I work on the products and packaging,” Bruno tells us.

Bruno says he will continue to explore the possibilities of this ‘very special wood’, and develop more products, mostly in a field of kitchen accessories and jewelry.

“All products will be simple and relatively cheap so everybody can afford a piece of that wonderful nature. Wood, of course, grows on and on, and in this way we are helping it not to end up burned or rotten,” he concluded.

If you would like to purchase either the standard kitchen utensils or the butter knives then please send us a message [email protected] (prices excluding postage).

Prices (excl postage):

Standard kitchen utensils – 15 USD