stories

journey for greener future

Cowka, a pioneer in sustainable design, earned a prestigious spot in the Museum of Modern Art’s (MoMA) “Life Cycles: The Materials of Contemporary Design” exhibition, held from September 2, 2023, to August 20, 2024. This showcase celebrated designs that reimagine material lifecycles, and Cowka’s standout pieces—such as the Cow Dung Lamp 1, Nunduk Lamp, Tanduk Lamp, and Cow Dung Speaker—captivated visitors with their bold use of cow dung and eco-friendly materials. More than a furniture brand, Cowka represents a movement toward sustainability and creativity, a vision crystallized by this MoMA milestone

Crafted by founder Adhi Nugraha, these pieces—featured on MoMA’s artist page—invited viewers to reflect on empathy, responsibility, and harmony with nature. Though the exhibition has concluded, its message lingers, inspiring a rethink of design’s potential.

Cowka’s story began in 2021 in Kampung Bukatanah, Lembang, Bandung Barat, Indonesia, tackling a decades-old challenge: cow dung piling up in Western Java’s dairy farming communities, threatening health and the environment.

From a bamboo workshop, local artisans turned waste into wonder, crafting innovative products like the Cow Dung Lamp 1 and Cow Dung Speaker. A 2023 breakthrough—extracting compounds from cow dung to create bio-composite materials—propelled them onto the global stage.

“What started as a grassroots solution evolved into a symbol of “Local Hands, Global Impact,” showcasing the power of community-driven innovation.”

Life Cycles at MoMA: Cowka’s Designs Take Center Stage At MoMA, Cowka’s creations shone as exemplars of sustainable craftsmanship. Featured designs included:

Nunduk Lamp: A fusion of tradition and modernity, glowing with purpose.
Tanduk Lamp: Striking shapes with natural finishes, rooted in eco-awareness.
Cow Dung Speaker: An acoustic masterpiece, redefining waste as resource

At Cowka, we transform the overlooked into the extraordinary—turning cow dung and sustainable materials into designs that redefine creativity and care for our planet. From the hands of local artisans in Indonesia to the prestigious halls of MoMA and international stages like IFEX,

our journey blends tradition with innovation, uplifting communities while inspiring eco-awareness worldwide. Each piece is a testament to our mission: to harmonize style with sustainability and prove that waste can light the way to a brighter future

Cowka’s MoMA feature was more than an accolade—it was a validation of their mission to turn waste into design that matters. “It’s a celebration of design’s power to drive positive change,” Adhi Nugraha shared, echoing the brand’s ethos of creativity and care for the planet. From workshop scenes of artisans shaping cow dung into art to the eco-awareness driving every decision, Cowka’s journey resonates worldwide, proving sustainability can be both beautiful and impactful.