NTT DOCOMO is going green with the announcement of a cellphone prototype manufactured using surplus wood from trees that are culled during thinning operations to maintain healthy forests. The Touch Wood has a name that is ripe for jokes and happens to be shaped like a bean.

The prototype was developed in a partnership between Sharp, Olympus and “more trees,” a reforestation project that was founded by musician Ryuichi Sakamoto. The body is cypress wood and is said to be very durable and resistant to water, insects and mildew, thanks to 3D compression molding. Each handset is unique, with it’s own grain patterns and natural color.

No word on when we might see these handsets.

[Ubergizmo]