This score is a ranking based on how natural,
eco-friendly, and non-toxic a product is, and is rated out of a possible total 5 stars.

STARS: 5 out of 5 stars for naturalness
COMMENTS: Here is a bit more about the tagua nut and the people who hand-make our tagua nut pendants:

"Tagua nut, also know as vegetable ivory, is the seed of a palm tree.  Its scientific name is Phytelephas Aequatorialis Macrocarpa or Microcarpa.

Tagua grows in the tropical rain forests of some South American countries, mainly Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela, being Ecuador the country that fulfills most of the world’s demand.

The fruit of the Phytelephas Macrocarpa tree is almost completely round measuring 20 to 50 cm in diameter with a blackish exterior.  This fruit, also known as “mococha”, has many locular cavities each containing two or more seeds.

The content of the immature fruit is a tasteless crystalline liquid, when it starts to ripen this turns into a sweet and pleasant milky substance, transforming later to a gelatinous viscous consistency
and finally becoming an extraordinarily hard product similar in color, appearance and feel to natural ivory.  

Tagua will take approximately 15 years to produce its first harvest and will not stop bearing fruit for all of the years and even a century to come.  A 35 to 40 year old plant measures about 6 feet and produces, in its 3 yearly harvests, between 15 to 16 heads or “mocochas”.

Tagua seeds, according to their size, are generally classified into 4 categories:  extra large, large, medium and small.

Not only the seeds of the tagua are used to elaborate buttons, figurines, beads, chess sets, napkin rings, cane and umbrella holders, door knobs, Christmas ornaments, etc., but the roots are said to contain medicinal properties.  The leavess are used for
thatching and the tagua shavings are ground into flour and serve as a mix in cattle feed due to its high energy content.

Natural ivory is being substituted for vegetable ivory thanks to its similarities in color, appearance, hardness and feel.  This helps in the depredation of elephants and keeps rain forests from being deforested which in turn favors the ecosystems and the environment.

Another important factor to consider is that it provides work to thousands of people in these poor South American countries giving them and their families a better life and the opportunity of offering their children a better education.