Tagua Nut Necklace, Yellow

This elegant, long Fair Trade necklace is made from Tagua nuts, also known as vegetable ivory, which come from  an endangered palm tree that only grows in the tropical rainforests of the South American Pacific coasts.

The 3 large Tagua seeds of this necklace come in a contemporary, yellow colour and have a smooth, polished and luxurious finish. They are combined with numerous smaller cream seeds and a knotted olive green cotton cord.

The Tagua nuts mature into a hard, white ‘ivory-like’ substance (hence the reference to the term vegetable ivory) and are harvested without damaging either the plant, or it's natural surroundings. The Tagua Nut is a renewable and sustainable product, and helps support the employment of nearly 35,000 people in the rainforests. Most importantly, tagua is replacing the slaughter of mammal ivory in the textile and fashion industries.

When ripe the seedpods fall to the ground and are gathered and dried for a period of up to 2 years after which they become extremely hard. The Tagua nut needs to be dried naturally to separate it from its shell. Once separated from the shell it has a dark skin which must be removed to reveal the beautiful ivory colour. With some polishing the nut has a fantastic finish. The Tagua nut can then be cut into different shapes and forms. It is also possible to dye the nut in a variety of different natural colours. This process reveals the structure and veins of the pure cellulose material giving each piece an individual aspect and a natural look.

Complete the look with a matching seed bracelet and earrings for a really striking effect. (See below)

Also, why not select a Fair Trade gift box or pouch to store your new necklace in?  (See below)

This Fair Trade Tagua nut necklace was handmade in Lima, Peru.

Dimensions  The drop is 38 cm approx.

Our importer has been recognised by the British Association for Fair Trade Shops (BAFTS) and is the exclusive partner with the Zoe project in Peru, which was established in 2000. They guarantee a minimum order every month to ensure that the project is sustainable and the people involved have regular work.

The women who work for the Zoe project live in the shanty towns of Tablada on the outskirts of Lima and have varying degrees of skill. Each new collection is designed collaboratively with the women, taking into consideration availability of materials and building on existing techniques. They make the products in their own homes enabling them to earn a living wage without having to leave their children. They are paid to train others what they have learnt, so the project is enabling increasing numbers of Peru's poorest women and young people to have the opportunity of fairly paid employment.  

This partnership gives the Zoe project valuable business and design advice ensuring that their products will appeal to the western market. 

The project produces several different ranges of jewellery - their collections include the popular 'Semilla' seed  range, made from seeds and nuts sourced from the Amazon jungle.