Bone Necklace with Rectangle Beads, Giraffe Pattern

Unique Fair Trade necklace featuring delicately crafted bone rectangle beads, which have a striking giraffe design.

The beads are made from waste cow bone. A sanding machine is used to shape the bone and then the patterns are created with hot wax.

A metal hook secures the necklace at the top.

Why not complement the look with a bracelet and earrings from our range? (See below)

This Fair Trade bone necklace was hand crafted in Kenya.

Dimensions - has a drop of 22 cm approx.

Zuri Design is a UK-based importer which has set up and works closely with a number of projects in Kenya.

One project is called Excel Concepts, which specialises in waste cow bone bead making.
It was started in 2005 by 4 young street boys who were trained on project start-up programmes. They have recently moved into a new premises in Kibera slum, on the outskirts of Nairobi. The aim of the project now is for it to become self sustainable.

 
They are now designing jewellery, manufacturing the actual beads and assembling the pieces, such as our beautiful animal themed range of jewellery.

This project involves bringing change to the cow bone jewellery industry in Kibera slum, Nairobi. This craft industry has been around since the late 70’s and employs over 500 people in Nairobi. These workers  are almost always underpaid and work with dangerous machinery and in dirty and unsafe workshops. Most of these workshops are based in the slums, including the workshop this project helped to start.

The work is highly skilled, yet the workers of this industry are often exploited, with middle men taking advantage of the fact many buyers are too scared to visit workshops in the slum.
The idea of this project is to set up and run an example workshop so that others locally can see the benefits of adhering to Fair Trade principles.

Zakale Creations is another project located in Huruma, part of the Mathare Valley on the outskirts of Nairobi. They buy beads from Excel and then make them into animal charm bracelets and necklaces using linen threads and brass. The group currently comprises of 5 ladies and 5 men. The men work the recycled copper "wire" then pass it to the ladies who add the bone or glass beads. The items are then passed back to the men for finishing. The team also makes unique recycled bottle top and copper wire earrings.

A third project is Lucksama Women`s Group, named after the area in Nairobi where the ladies live. The 7 employees here work from home, buying soapstone and banana fibre and finishing them off into stylish jewellery items.