Tagua Nut:
Also known as corozo, palm nut, ‘vegetable ivory’ or “ivory nut” it is the most expensive of all the seeds currently used in all types of accessories.
Tagua Palm tree (Phytelephas Macrocarpa) grows in the rainforests of South America. Tagua is mostly found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Peru. Tagua is the dried seed pod and it grows in large rock-hard clusters.
The size varies from a very small hazelnut to an orange.
The harvesting process is done by hand, and no harm is done to the trees. Like with the natural process of a fruit, once rippen, the nuts fall to the ground. These are collected and then dried for up to 8 weeks at which point they become extremely tough Tagua was used centuries ago to make buttons. Today it is used in many artistic expressions which include personal and home accessories.
In its most natural state, Tagua is brown and can be used with or without the skin. To obtain the patterned look the seed is partially peeled. Native Folk stories tell us that this seed possesses a romantic magnetic energy, so every member of the tribe would wear a Tagua pendant as it was to bring love, harmony and peace to all.
Orange peels/rinds:
This by product is mainly offered by Colombian artisans due to the fact that the country is a major producer of Valencia oranges. The peels are treated and transformed into incredibly original creations
Acai:
Açaí or Acai a palm native of Central and South America is easily found in swamps. There are at least 8 different varieties of this palm in the region, and it produces a grape like fruit that is deep purple in color. The fruits have incredible benefits which means that this fruit has many uses, but none for its seeds. As a result, the seeds are collected, washed cleaned, dried, dyed and polished for artistic use.
More coming soon
