Tagua Nut,
often called a vegetable ivory. An alternative to elephant. Mainly grown in Ecaudor. Can be carved into sculptures, buttons, jewlrey, and industrial products.
Decreases deforstation, and promotes the growth of Tagua palm trees. Despite the perspective of human management of nature a negative effect, Tagua nut Palm trees actually flourish with human management. Human interaction can actually be essential for the conservation of this tree species.
PROPERTIES:
Absorbs dye like a dream.
Great for industial products, product design and fashion.
Very hard, dense material.
PROCESS:
The Tagua fruit is collected from the trees and dried for four up to eight weeks, after which period they become hard
Shells are cracked to extract the nuts, and each nut is cleaned and shaped as desired
The Tagua is dye in the desired colors
After dyed, the nut is again exposed to the sun for one week to two weeks (depends if the season is rainy or dry)
Finally, after drying up the nut the artisan uses sealers to hold the color before polishing the nut
MORE INFORMATION:
Tagua tree produces three crops a year.
Each Tagua plant produces, 15 fruits that are similar to pine apples, with about 30-80 nuts.
This material has been used as early as colonial times by the spainiards, used for buttons, umbrellas, walking sticks, pipes, napkin rings, chess pieces.
Taguas palm tree is also used for roof construction, and powder to feed cattle in equador.
In one year, the Tagua palm tree produces 20lbs of ivory vs elephant producing only 20lbs in a lifetime.
Sources:
Ecuadorian Hands Colombian Indiarts One World Fair Trade