Discover the beauty of nature with this exquisite multi-layered necklace. Made with sustainable Tagua nut, Bombona seeds, and Acai berries, this adjustable necklace offers a versatile length of 16" to 29", perfect for any style.
- Made with sustainable Tagua nut, Bombona seeds, and Acai berries
- Faux Leather cord
- Colored using vegetable dyes
- Handcrafted in Ecuador
design: A bold, multi-strand necklace layering four cascading strands of flat, polygon-cut tagua nut discs with rounder bombona and acai seed beads, all in warm terracotta, rust, and toffee tones with a mottled, marbled surface.
size: Adjustable, 16" to 29" in length.
material: Tagua nut, bombona seed, and acai seed beads on a faux leather cord, with brass-tone metal spacers and closure.
features: Adjustable length, four-layer cascading design, mixed bead shapes and sizes, vegetable-dyed color, lightweight seed and nut beads
care: Wipe clean with a soft, dry cloth and store flat, away from water, perfume, and direct sun, which can dull the vegetable dye over time.
disclaimer: Because tagua nut, bombona, and acai are natural seeds and dyed by hand, bead color, grain, and marbling vary piece to piece.
The Story
Tagua is the seed of a palm native to Ecuador's coastal and Amazon-edge forests. Once dried, the seed hardens into a dense, ivory-colored material that carves, sands, and polishes much like animal ivory, which is why it's long been marketed as "vegetable ivory." Ecuadorian workshops have built a real export craft around it since the late 1800s buttons trade, and today that same material is cut into beads and discs for jewelry rather than buttons.
Bombona and acai are seeds from other regional palms, gathered as a byproduct of harvesting the fruit for food and oil. Stringing seeds into jewelry is a practical, resourceful craft: nothing about the plant goes to waste, and the beads' natural mottling and grain come directly from the seed itself, not from artificial patterning.
Layering multiple strands of different bead shapes and sizes, as this necklace does, is a common construction choice in Ecuadorian seed-jewelry workshops, letting a single piece show off several bead cuts and seed types at once.
Each tagua nut is dried, then cut and shaped by hand or on small workshop lathes into flat discs and slices, which are sanded smooth and colored with vegetable dye to reach these terracotta and rust shades. Bombona and acai seeds are cleaned, sorted by size, and sometimes left in their natural mottled state. A stringer then threads the different beads onto faux leather cord in a planned sequence, building up the four layers and finishing each strand with brass-tone spacers and a clasp, all assembled in Ecuador.
Craft & Materials
- Made In: Ecuador
- Craft Tradition: Tagua nut and seed beadwork
- Ideal For: Someone who wants one bold, textured statement necklace built from sustainable, plant-based materials
- Wear It With: Wear over a plain crewneck, button-down, or solid-color knit so the layered beads and warm tones take center stage
- Purpose: Statement necklace, everyday layering piece, gifting
- Metal: Brass-tone metal spacers and clasp
Questions & Answers
What is tagua nut?
Tagua is the dried seed of a palm native to Ecuador. It hardens into a dense material often called "vegetable ivory" because it carves and polishes similarly to animal ivory, making it a plant-based alternative for beads and buttons.
How long is this necklace, and is it adjustable?
Yes, it adjusts from 16" to 29" so you can wear it closer to the collarbone or longer and looser.
Will my necklace look exactly like the photo?
Close, but not identical. Tagua, bombona, and acai are natural seeds finished with vegetable dye, so color depth, grain, and marbling vary slightly from piece to piece.
How should I care for the beads?
Keep the necklace away from water, perfume, and lotion, wipe it with a soft dry cloth after wear, and store it flat rather than balled up in a drawer.
Is a necklace with this many beads heavy to wear?
It wears lighter than it looks. Tagua, bombona, and acai are organic seed materials, noticeably lighter than glass or stone beads of the same size.
