The Happy Elephant
Website:
@_thehappyelephant_
@thehappyelephantUK
Galapagos Necklace
Floreana Necklace
Rachel Necklace
Biography
Having lived in Ecuador and seen the amazing work of the artisans who work with the tagua nut, I have created a business to showcase this incredible natural material which resembles ivory, but comes from a palm tree! We aim give back to Ecuador and and these amazing artisans who create this amazing jewellery from the tagua nut.
inspiration
Inspiration is from nature, especially because the tagua nut grows in the rainforests of Ecuador. Tagua nut jewellery is wholly sustainable, with every part of the tagua nut being used for various purposes, even the powder which is created from making the jewellery is used as exfoliant in Lush beauty products! Inspiration for many of the pieces of jewellery are flowers and the nature that surrounds us.
medium
This is the amazing but humble tagua nut that grows in Northern South America. This nut resembles ivory and yet comes from a beautiful and graceful palm tree. As it grows on the palm tree it starts off as a liquid, and then solidifies into a jelly and finally into a hard, white substance that remarkably resembles animal ivory. That is why the tagua nut is also known as "vegetable ivory". The main industry for tagua is buttons, however we have had great success selling this jewellery which has a unique story and universal appeal due to its sustainability.