Jewellry... and Tagua

Colombianoz is proud to be able to bring you a beautiful line of jewellery and accessories made of natural materials such as the seeds of Azahi “totumo”; the black bark of the cocoa tree, items in wood, small natural beans called “chocho quindiano”; items in bamboo, and a variety of natural seeds, all gathered, sorted and threaded together with care by our artists in order to offer the true ethnic accessories, all of which are very much in fashion.
But without doubt the most surprising and interesting of the natural materials is the Tagua or “vegetable Ivory”. It is a seed of the fruit of a palm tree that grows in the tropical rainforests of Latin America. The tagua resembles animal ivory but is an alternative to harvesting ivory from animals such as the elephant. The seed is recovered from the main body much like a walnut. On the inside, you discover a seed, a smooth ball the colour of which is off-white, much like a mother of pearl. The removal of the seed from the fruit does not involve processes which alter the ecosystem or even the felling of trees.

The exploitation of the seed is rigorously controlled by the competent authorities. Further the harvesting of the seed is an important source of work for the local population.