I first became acquainted with Tagua (Tah-gwa) beads, when
Bead Style Magazine in March 2008 featured a colorful spring necklace made from slices of Tagua nut. Then in December of 2010, I won some Tagua Bead Jewelry Kits from
EcuadorianHands.com sponsored by Pearl of
The Beading Gem, who was blogging about the eco-friendly Tagua Beads from
Ecuador.
Some weeks later I received this envelope from
Ecuador. Inside were some delightful beads, they were made from the seeds of the Tagua Tree and there were also some made from the shell of Coconuts.
The Tagua Tree also known as the 'Ivory Palm' is not really a palm tree, though it looks like one and does not produce animal (after all we are talking about a tree) ivory, only something that looks and feels remarkably like real ivory. After winning these kits from
EcuadorianHands.com, I decided to read more about the versatile Tagua Palm. Follow this
link to learn all about the process of preparing the seed to make colorful beads. This process provides a sustainable income from a renewable resource for the indigenous people of the Ecuadorian rain forests.
These Tagua Nuts are easily dyed and hold their color well, that they definitely can make an eco-friendly alternative to
Coral beads.
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Photo courtesy of
EcuadorianHands.com |
Their lightweight will certainly be a boon to those of us who like chunky jewelry.
In addition to providing fabulous colorful beads, the real value of the Tagua nut, is in the fact that it is able to replace Elephant Ivory, in a world that has all but decimated its elephant population for its ivory.
Here are some great examples of
animal carvings made from the Tagua nut. Beautiful!
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| Photo Courtsey of EcuadorianHands.com |
Once completed, I will share with you the jewelry made with my Tagua beads. Thank you
Pearl and thank you
EcuadorianHands.com.
Now about the Jewelry Contest sponsored by
EcuadorianHands.com, check out their
blog for rules on entering their Jewelry Contest for a chance to win $20.00 worth of Tagua Beads and to be featured on the cover of their Tagua Bead Catalog.
Want some Tagua Beads... they even have a
10% off sale now going on, now is the time to check them out.
