Wooden medal boxes for Rio 2016 Olympic Games

The medals the Olympians will receive at this year's Rio Olympics have been created with nature and sustainability as their theme. It recognizes the importance of nature, its protection and conservation. All the medals were made with sustainability in mind. So the silver and bronze medals were made from 30% recycled materials. 501TPTP3T of the plastic used for the ribbons that will hang around the athletes' necks are made from recycled plastic bottles. But, what really interests us are the medal boxes that will be given to the athletes.

The boxes were carved from freijó wood (cordia alliodora) which is compared to teak or mahogany. As everyone is probably thinking, the wood is a species found in South America, making it a perfect choice for the Rio Olympics. It was chosen because it is a hard wood and has high natural durability, essential attributes for a valuable box. It was also important that it is easy to work and finishes beautifully.

Another interesting thing, but unrelated to wood, is that the medals for Paralympic athletes are special. They have a tiny built-in device that produces sounds when the medal is shaken. The sounds produced differ depending on the material of the medal. Gold medals are the loudest, while bronze medals are the quietest. This enables visually impaired athletes to recognize each medal by its sound.

photo: Alex Ferro /source: rio2016.com