Elegant and eco-friendly, the beige tone Tagua Tube Necklace is designed with six strands of tube-shaped beads, creating a harmonious overlay style. Finished with a Tagua button and loop closure, this 24" necklace adds a natural touch to any outfit.
- Features six strands of Tagua tube-shaped beads
- Size: 24" L
- Material: Tagua nut
- Colored using organic vegetable dyes
- Tagua button and loop closure
- Handcrafted in Ecuador
- Color variation: Use of natural materials, please allow for some color variations
design: Six strands of tube-shaped tagua beads in soft beige tones are hand-knotted along cord and layered together for a full, overlaid look at the neckline.
size: 24" L
material: Tagua nut (vegetable ivory) beads on cord
features: Six-strand layered design, tube-shaped tagua beads, hand-knotted between beads, colored with organic vegetable dyes, tagua button-and-loop closure
care: Wipe clean with a soft, dry cloth and keep away from water, perfume, and lotion, since tagua is a natural nut material that can be affected by moisture and chemicals.
disclaimer: Because tagua is a natural material, please allow for slight variations in color and grain from piece to piece.
The Story
Tagua is the seed of a palm native to Ecuador's coastal and rainforest regions, prized for a dense, ivory-white interior that takes a polish much like animal ivory. In the early twentieth century it was shipped abroad by the ton to be carved into buttons, earning it the name "vegetable ivory" and becoming, for a time, Ecuador's export good after cacao and coffee.
That same carving know-how now goes into jewelry beads rather than buttons. This necklace's tube-shaped beads and multi-strand overlay reflect a simple, form-forward approach to tagua: the material is left to show its own warm, mottled beige coloring, dyed lightly and knotted by hand rather than dressed up with imagery or symbol.
The shift from buttons to beadwork has given tagua carving a second life as a livelihood in the communities that harvest and cut it, turning a fallen palm seed into a wearable material without cutting down a single tree.
Tagua nuts are harvested after they fall naturally from the palm, then dried, sliced, and shaped by hand into tube forms before being sanded smooth and colored with organic vegetable dyes. Each bead is strung and individually knotted along the cord, a step that takes time but keeps the six strands from tangling and lets them drape with visible structure rather than lying flat.
Craft & Materials
- Made In: Ecuador
- Craft Tradition: Tagua nut beadwork
- Ideal For: Someone who wants a substantial, eco-conscious statement necklace for everyday or dressed-up wear
- Wear It With: Let it be the focal point over a simple crewneck or scoop-neck top in a solid color
- Purpose: Everyday wear, layering piece, statement necklace for casual or dressed-up outfits
Questions & Answers
What is tagua?
Tagua is the seed of a palm tree native to Ecuador. Its dense white interior is sometimes called "vegetable ivory" because it carves and polishes similarly to animal ivory, but it's a plant-based, renewable material.
Is this necklace eco-friendly?
Yes. Tagua nuts are harvested from palms without felling the tree, and the beads here are colored with organic vegetable dyes rather than synthetic finishes.
How long is the necklace and is it adjustable?
It measures 24" long and closes with a tagua button and loop, so the length is fixed rather than adjustable.
Will the color match exactly what I see in photos?
Expect some natural variation. Since tagua is a nut, not a manufactured bead, color and grain shift slightly from piece to piece.
How do I clean and store it?
Wipe with a soft dry cloth after wear and store away from moisture, perfume, and lotion, which can affect the natural material over time.
