Who or what is Tjikko really - the inspiration behind our toothpaste tablets
Why is the fir tree called Old Tjikko?
You may have heard of Old Tjikko, the ancient spruce that became world famous after its discovery in 2004 – or more recently, when Region Skåne spent 7.9 million kronor on a clone in a glass cage. Did you know that Old Tjikko is actually named after a dog? Well, the research couple Lisa Öberg & Leif Kullman who discovered the tree named it after their four-legged friend.
Old Tjikko - a symbol of wisdom and sustainability
However, I want to make it very clear, it is not the dog that has inspired our toothpaste tablets, but the tree itself - a root system that has survived for 9560 years. Perhaps the connection between an ancient spruce and toothpaste tablets feels far-fetched. But for me it became an obvious guiding star in the development of our products.
For me, Old Tjikko symbolizes longevity, endurance and health. The tree is also the image of wisdom, which is based on the combination of personal and scientific discoveries. Together they create a collective knowledge bank that is the basis for common sense and thoughtfulness - Empirical knowledge. A fantastic source of inspiration for Tjikko's empirical dentistry!
Tjikko's philosophy – holistic dental care
With Old Tjikko as my guiding light, I have strived to create a dental care product that is based on a holistic approach. Each ingredient has a clear function to fulfill, is as dental and oral care as possible while also tasting good and providing that freshness that we all strive for. At the same time, the total environmental impact is as small as possible. We never use the word "eco-friendly" - because honestly, nothing we humans do is eco-friendly. However, we do everything we can to minimize our environmental impact, from production to packaging and transport.
Trivia about Old Tjikko
- Old Tjikko is located in Fulufjället in Dalarna and has a brother named Old Rasmus who lives in Härjedalen.
- Old Tjikko is not the world's oldest tree, but rather a 5,000-year-old pine tree found in California. Tjikko, on the other hand, is the oldest tree clone, at 9,560 years old.
- Tjikko is so fascinating that Malmö Hospital has created a custom-built installation with a clone of Old Tjikko in the entrance. Total price tag 7.9 million.
- The real Old Tjikko in Dalarna is under threat because too many people are too close-minded and want to have their photos taken with Tjikko. This leads to all the rough hiking boots rubbing away the lichen and soil that protects Old Tjikko's lifeblood, the roots.
Shouldn't we let Old Tjikko live in peace in his old age? Maybe it would have been a better investment to protect the original – instead of importing a copy to Skåne?