In South America, Tagua nuts are also known as ‘vegetable ivory’  (Phytelephas Aequatorialis Macrocarpa)  which literally translates as plant elephant. They originate from huge fruits that grow on the Ecuadorian Tagua palm. When they fall to the rainforest floor, the fruits are partially eaten by animals and then collected by local communities in a totally non-invasive way. They contain many edible nuts, the size of a chicken egg, that become hard as a stone after 45 to 60 days of drying. Our nuts are dried for over a year to ensure that they develop their ivory-like properties and hardness we require. They can then be carved by hand or machined. If the value and demand of tagua continues to grow, this in turn preserves the rainforest where it grows.

Ivory has been considered as a valuable raw material since prehistoric times. However, excessive trade of elephant ivory has contributed to the decline of of African elephants, which are known for their massive tusks. Artificial substances like celluloid and other plastics have been used as ivory replacement, but they lack the appeal of naturally occurring fibers and polymers and their widespread use brings concerns related to the slow degradation rates of plastics in the biosphere.

Used for centuries in jewellery as an alternative to ivory, the Tagua nut has properties that are only now being rediscovered. Once a popular material in the clothing industry, a large share of the buttons of the British and U.S. military uniforms were made from it during World War II)

In recent years, environmental concerns regarding the biodegradability of plastics have motivated the re-discovery of the tagua seeds.