The Tagua nut comes from the Ecuadorean Ivory Palm, which flourishes in the lowlands of South America. The tagua nut is collected from large regenerative pods emerging from the palm’s trunk. When harvested late, the nut become white and extremely hard, often called "vegetable ivory" because of its amazing ability to be carved and polished.
The Andean Collection brings bold and inspiring design to fairly traded, eco-friendly products. The beautiful jewelry of the collection is made by Ecuadorian artisans from natural, local rain forest materials. This not only helps the artisans earn a living wage, but it also helps to protect the rain forest by creating a profitable and low impact use of its materials. The jewelry is stunningly beautiful in brilliant eye-grabbing colors and styles we just can't resist.