OWP
Handmade Tagua Nut Keychain - Turtle- Vegetable Ivory-Fair Trade-Ecuador
Handmade Tagua Nut Keychain - Turtle- Vegetable Ivory-Fair Trade-Ecuador
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These Multi-Colored Tagua Turtle Keychains are handmade at the artisan workshop known as Naya Nayon. Tagua is considered the vegetable form of ivory, and a safe and eco-friendly alternative to Ivory! Every Doll keychain is unique as color patterns will vary as well as the actual grain patterns on the tagua itself! These keychains make for a wonderful addition to your key ring for any turtle lover.
- These Keychains measure 4-1/2" Tall x 2-1/2" wide.
Handmade and Fair Trade Imported from Ecuador.Â
Despite their humble backgrounds, many of Naya Nayon's artisans are highly educated with university degrees in engineering, law, business, and medicine. Unfortunately, Ecuador's shaky economy means jobs are scarce, even for highly qualified professionals. Thankfully, Tagua nut carving has emerged as a sustainable alternative and is often the primary source of income for an artisan's family.
We encourage you to help save rainforests by considering a Tagua nut purchase. Please read our extended description below by clicking "About the Artisans" for more information on how tagua nut carvings are made, and how they have helped save thousands of acres of rainforest and wildlife habitat.
About the Artisans
About the Artisans
Ceramica Quinua, an artisan cooperative known for its social and environmental responsibility, offers steady work to six workshops and 36 families in Ayachucho, Peru. Ceramica Quinua is dedicated to decreasing the use of firewood to reduce deforestation, and as such, works primarily with clay, which is extracted from the land in a controlled manner to avoid erosion.
The artisans shape and fire their pieces in home-based workshops during their nine-hour workday. Children often sit in on the workshops during their free time in so they may learn the trade that's been passed from ancestor to ancestor. The organization also takes pride in offering health care for its craftsmen, and for sharing its environmental knowledge and conservation techniques with students at public schools.
The Quinua district is characterized by the eucalyptus and alder-scented atmosphere of its mountain and forest landscapes. The name Quinua is derived from the Qenwal plant, said to be comparable in beauty only to the Quinuin women. The unique flora and fauna that inhabit the territory are fast becoming a major tourist attraction. Unfortunately, deforestation and pollution from paint chemicals are threatening their existence.
