Original Artisan – Handmade Fairtrade Goods From The Andes

Welcome To Original Artisan

Welcome to Original Artisan, a brand new website/blog that brings the best of the Bolivia straight to your door.

Over the next few weeks I’m going to be bringing you some great products direct from the continent of South America, including some amazing stuff from the world’s highest capital city – La Paz and loads of great handmade products from the indigenous tribes living high in the mountains of the Andes.

The Payachatas - Twin Volcanoes of Bolivia

Everything you see here on this site is sourced directly from local artisans and bought at a fair trade and price defined by the skilled craftsmen and women who create them.

They are sourced by my own family who have been living, working and trading with the South American people for over twenty years and have the knowledge and experience to select the best and most charismatic pieces for me to sell to my readers.

The idea of this blog is to create more of a personal sale experience for my buyers and I really do urge anyone interested in anything they see here to contact me if they have any queries or need more information on an item.

Also, if there are any products that you are interested in that are not featured on this website and originate from countries in South America such as Bolivia, Peru or Columbia etc. then feel free to contact me and I will do my best to get hold of them for you. (No drug barons or cartels please !)

This blog is brand new and will take time to get up to speed, but stay tuned for some amazing goods and great bargains coming this way..

..and remember, everything you see here is created by an Original Artisan.

Charazani

Chazarani

Vegetable Ivory

Vegetable ivory comes from a few species of tropical plants native to the Amazonian rainforests of South America. The most important source is the plant known as the ivory-nut palm i.e Phytelephas Aequatorialis.

Phytelephas meaning ‘Elephant Plant’.
Aequatorialis relating to the equatorial regions native to the plant.

The Ivory Nut Palm

Bearing large clusters of fruits that contain special ivory like seeds known as Tagua nuts, these palms grow along the banks of rivers along the Amazonian basin through Colombia, Bolivia and Peru.

These seeds are almost identical in colour, texture and hardness to elephant ivory and are carved in a similar fashion, providing a perfect alternative to the slaughter of elephants for their tusks.

Vegetable ivory is a wonderful, sustainable, natural resource and it’s export and use in the making of jewellery, carvings and countless other beautiful artifacts helps boost the economies of it’s native countries. It also provides a good alternative to the destruction of rainforests and animals for illegal or unsustainable produce.

The Tagua Nut

This palm is leading the way in the battle to save it’s natural jungle habitat as more areas of forest are preserved in order produce more of this wonderful material.

Vegetable ivory is not only beautiful, but an extremely important sustainable alternative to elephant ivory and is making a huge contribution to the welfare and environment of the Amazonian Basin and it’s people.

When you purchase an item of jewellery from Original Artisan made from vegetable ivory, you can be confident that what you are wearing is about as ethical and sustainable as you can get.

Take a look at our wide range of bracelets, necklaces and earrings made from Tagua and various other beautiful Amazonian seeds and materials. We also feature some amazing vegetable ivory keyrings and other accessories.

Our jewellery section is relatively new and will be expanding on a daily basis. Please check back every few days to see what’s new.

Original Artisan – Handmade Fairtrade Goods From The Andes

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Charazani

Vegetable Ivory

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