This two-tone design balances intensity with grounding — half bold red, half deep black. Perfectly asymmetrical, it honors harmony through contrast.
- Design: 13 tagua chips in red and black
- Size: About 19"–20" length
- Material: Tagua nut, cotton cord
- Features: Rich red and deep black tones, smooth organic texture
- Origin: Ecuador
- Care: Avoid use in water
Beauty isn't perfect, it's authentic. This piece is artistically created by hand where beauty and imperfections go together wonderfully. Please accept and appreciate minor imperfections and variations which are true characteristics of this craft.
What is Tagua?
Tagua, often called "vegetable ivory," is a sustainable and eco-friendly material derived from the seeds of the South American ivory palm. Once dried, tagua becomes hard and smooth, closely resembling animal ivory in texture and appearance—without any harm to wildlife. It is naturally renewable, biodegradable, and supports local artisan economies in countries like Ecuador. Tagua is often hand-carved and dyed, making each piece uniquely beautiful and environmentally conscious.
design: Thirteen irregular, pebble-shaped tagua chips are strung in two solid color blocks — deep black on one half, saturated red on the other — meeting at a small carved black clasp bead for a bold, asymmetrical statement necklace.
size: About 19"–20" in length.
material: Tagua nut, cotton cord.
features: hand-carved tagua chips, bold two-tone color blocking, smooth organic polished texture, hand-knotted cotton cord between each bead, asymmetrical design
care: Avoid contact with water; wipe clean with a soft, dry cloth and store away from direct sunlight to keep the dyed color vibrant.
disclaimer: Because each chip is cut, sanded, and dyed by hand from a natural seed, slight variations in shape, tone, and surface texture are normal and are part of the piece's character.
The Story
Tagua comes from the seed of the ivory palm, native to Ecuador's coastal and lowland forests. Once dried, the seed hardens into a dense, ivory-like material that can be cut, sanded, and polished — a craft that grew directly out of the search for an ethical, plant-based alternative to animal ivory, and one that has supported artisan workshops in Ecuador for generations.
This piece leans into that material's natural qualities rather than disguising them: the chips are left in their organic, uneven pebble shapes instead of being cut into uniform beads, and the visible grain and edge texture of the nut are part of the finished look. The strong color-block split — solid black paired with solid red — turns a traditionally small-scale material into a large, graphic statement piece.
Working in tagua also means working with a renewable resource: the palm isn't cut down to harvest the seed, so the material can be gathered repeatedly from the same trees over time, tying the craft to both the local landscape and its ongoing artisan economy.
Each chip starts as a raw tagua seed, dried until it hardens to a density close to ivory. Artisans slice the dried nut into flat, irregular chips, then sand and polish each one smooth by hand — no two chips come out quite the same shape. The chips are dyed in solid color batches, drilled, and hand-strung on cotton cord, with a knot tied between each bead to hold its position and let the piece drape naturally.
Craft & Materials
- Made In: Ecuador
- Craft Tradition: Hand-carved and dyed tagua (vegetable ivory)
- Ideal For: Someone who wants one bold, sculptural piece to anchor a simple outfit
- Wear It With: Wear with a solid black or white top and minimal other jewelry so the color-blocked chips stay the focal point
- Purpose: Statement necklace, everyday bold accessory, gift
Questions & Answers
What is tagua?
Tagua is a hard, ivory-like material made from the dried seed of the South American ivory palm, native to Ecuador. It's a renewable, plant-based alternative to animal ivory — the seed is harvested without cutting down the palm — and it's typically hand-carved and dyed by artisans.
How long is this necklace?
It measures about 19 to 20 inches in length.
Can I wear this necklace in water or in the shower?
No — avoid water exposure, as it can dull the dye and affect the tagua's finish. Wipe clean with a dry cloth instead.
Will every necklace look exactly like the photo?
Close, but not identical. Each tagua chip is individually cut, sanded, and dyed by hand, so slight differences in shape and tone are normal and expected.
Is tagua a sustainable material?
Yes. Tagua is harvested from the seed of the ivory palm without harming the tree, making it a renewable and biodegradable material that also supports artisan livelihoods in Ecuador.