OUR JOURNEY
Darrin & Camilla first discovered Binchotan and its incredible ability to filter water back in 2008 when living in the UK and regularly buying plastic water filter jugs and bottled water. They became concerned about the cost, environmental impact and the fact that the water was often stripped of everything – good and bad. They researched plastic-free alternatives and discovered Binchotan. Once they adjusted to this simple process and rhythm, it became part of their daily life. Not long after, their friends and family, from teenagers to grandparents, followed suit.At KURO-Bō, we are committed to the philosophy of minimal environmental impact, while offering maximum life and health benefits. Our ethos is to make it easier to live consciously, without compromising on function or design. Eco-friendly really can look and taste great!
With our sustainable, reusable, and recyclable KURO-Bō Water Filters and our range of beautiful and simple Glassware options, we want to make a point that it is possible, in fact very easy and enjoyable, to make thoughtful and conscious choices each and every day. Little actions do add up to make a big difference.
THE SCIENCE
Dating back over 300 years to the Edo period in 17th century Japan, the artisanal process of hand-making Binchotan has been passed down from generation to generation. During the Genroku era, Binchotan was invented by a craftsman named Binch-ya Chozaemon, who started to produce it in Tanabe, Wakayama, in Japan.
Binchotan Charcoal has been used for hundreds of years, serving many functions such as cooking fuel, air purifier, fertiliser and water filter. However, it wasn’t until the last century that Western Scientists really started to study its chemical makeup. Read more about our proprietary Scientific Research here.
As more and more people around the world caught on to this innovative concept and began using Binchotan charcoal, the less sustainable Japan’s limited resource became. As a result, more Binchotan artisans emerged, mainly around Asia, and in the case of KURO-Bō’s, began sustainably harvesting branches from indigenous trees to produce Binchotan, using the age-old Japanese carbonisation and activation process outlined below.
- At a microscopic level, it attracts the positively-charged toxins and metals (Chlorine, Mercury and Lead, for example) which bind fast to the vast surface area, thereby removing the harmful elements from the water
- Adsorption is what makes ordinary, municipal-treated tap water taste clean, sweet and delicious
- A single gram of activated charcoal can have a surface area of up to 1500m2 – essentially 6 times the surface area of a tennis court – which is why it can so efficiently adsorb as many toxins as it does!
- Each KURO-Bō Stick or pack of Kōins reaches a saturation point after about 3-6 months of daily use, when the pore surface area is effectively covered with impurities and a fresh piece of charcoal is required.
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
Simply download either insert here:
- The Stick insert
- The Koin insert
STEP 1: ACTIVATE
Remove your KURO-Bō Stick or Kōins from the compostable wood cellulose or recyclable paper bag. Boil in a shallow pan of tap water for 10 minutes. Allow to cool. Recycle the cardboard box.
*REMEMBER* Wherever you are in the world, sign up for simple & convenient ‘Monthly Reactivation E-Reminders’ from our home page.
STEP 2: PURIFY
Fill your container or bottle with up to 3 litres of tap water for Sticks, and up to 1 litre for Kōins. Add the cooled KURO-Bō Charcoal to the water. For bigger volumes, simply add more KURO-Bō.
- Whilst the natural purifying process begins immediately, wait 6 – 8 hours (Sticks) or 2+ hours (Kōins) for the best results.
- More than 3 litres? Simply add one KURO-Bō Stick for every additional 3 litres.
- There is no need to remove the Stick or Kōins throughout the month; all you need to do is top up the water!
- For water-dispensing fridges, KURO-Bō Sticks in the tank will give you purified water on tap.
STEP 3: REACTIVATE
After 1 month of daily use, boil your KURO-Bō Stick or Kōins for 10 minutes again, allow to cool, and pop straight back into your water container.
After the 2nd month, reactivate your KURO-Bō as above and reuse. At this stage, repurchase KURO-Bō Sticks online or in-store so you don’t run out! Remember we offer convenient annual Recurring Order where you can sign up to receive your filters automatically, at a discount and with a free courier, every 3 months!
After 3 months, remove your KURO-Bō Sticks and either reactivate them once more (if your water still tastes sweet and smooth) or reinvent them in one of many inspiring ways.
STEP 4: RECYCLE
Be inspired by these creative and earth-kind ideas:
- Dehumidify bathrooms
- Use it as a uniquely eye-catching, organic air-purifier
- Keep your fridge odour-free
- Reduce odours and dampness in cupboards
- Break up the Stick and scatter across your pet’s litter tray to remove odours and moisture
- Neutralise the pH of your aquarium’s water (and add a Japanese decorative edge!)
- Place in veggie drawer to keep your vegetables fresher for longer
- Prevent fruit from ripening too fast by adding a Stick to your fruit bowl
- Keep cut flowers blooming for longer
- Break up your charcoal and dig into your garden soil to balance its pH and remineralise it
- Burn it on your braai!
- Use it in your bath: the charcoal mineralises, removes impurities from the water and stimulates blood flow
- Deflect/absorb electromagnetic and radio waves from computers, mobile phones and even microwaves in your home or at work
- Display it as a decor collection of organic objects d’ arts
- String up Sticks and or Koins in the garden or window-frames for a delicately tinkling, Japanese-inspired wind-chime
- Line up a collection of Sticks from longest to shortest for a wonderfully unusual xylophone like the Japanese tanking
These tests have reaffirmed KURO-Bō's successful capacity for:
- toxin, chemical and bacterial adsorption and removal from contaminated water
- balancing an acidic pH of spiked water
- enriching tap water with beneficial essential minerals
*Performed by A.L. Abbot & Associates, SANAS-accredited specialists in Water Treatment – Reg. No. 82/04379/07
THE PROCESS
The rapid heating and cooling of the carbonisation process, and the resulting enlargement of the hardwood’s million’s internal pores, is what enables the KURO-Bō Activated Charcoal to adsorb toxins:
- At a microscopic level, it attracts the positively-charged toxins and metals (chlorine, mercury and lead, for example) and then attaches those toxins onto itself, thereby removing the harmful elements from the water
- Adsorption is what makes ordinary, municipal-treated tap water taste so much cleaner, sweeter and more delicious
- A single gram of activated charcoal can have a surface area of up to 1500m2 – essentially 6 times the surface area of a tennis court – which is why it can so efficiently adsorb as many toxins as it does!
- Each KURO-Bō Stick or pack of Kōins reaches a saturation point at about 3-6 months of daily use.
THE REACTIVATIONS
- Boiling your KURO-Bō once a month keeps the pores open and the surface area maximised for optimal toxin adsorption.
- The boiling of the charcoal does not “clean” the charcoal, nor does it release any adsorbed toxins and impurities back into the water - this has been laboratory verified.
- As the KURO-Bō moves beyond 3 months, you may need to reboil it every 2-3 weeks in order to optimise the longevity of the charcoal.
- Occasionally, Activated Charcoal Water Filter Sticks can fracture during any of the reactivation stages a result of expansion and contraction of air in the pores during the heating and cooling process. This in no way affects the efficacy or life-span of the Filter; it simply changes the appearance.