From Yorkshire, to Ecuador, to India
Did you know that what may be your favourite cocktail has something in common with the jewellery we create at The Happy Elephant?
Let us take you on a little journey — one that starts deep in the rainforests of South America and ends with a refreshing G&T in hand!
Our jewellery is crafted from the tagua nut, a beautiful, sustainable seed that grows on the Phytelephas Aequatorialis — or as it’s charmingly nicknamed, the Equatorial Elephant Plant. Why the nickname? Because the tagua nut looks and feels so much like real ivory, it’s often called "vegetable ivory." But don’t worry — no elephants are harmed in the making of our pieces!
When we lived in Ecuador for five years, we learned that this particular species of tagua palm was first scientifically recorded by a remarkable man named Richard Spruce. If that name sounds familiar, you’re onto something...
Born in Yorkshire in 1817, Spruce was one of Britain’s great Victorian explorers and botanists. He spent 15 years travelling across South America, collecting and documenting thousands of plants. One of them was the very tagua palm we use in our jewellery today — which is why you’ll sometimes see his name added at the end: Phytelephas Aequatorialis Spruce.
Now here’s where the gin & tonic comes in...
In the mid‑1800s, the British government asked Spruce to help solve a serious problem: malaria. They needed someone to collect seeds and saplings from the cinchona tree, which produces quinine, a natural remedy for malaria. Spruce spent two years in the Ecuadorian Andes working closely with local communities to gather these precious trees.
Thanks to his efforts, cinchona trees were successfully transplanted to British colonies like India. The quinine extract became a lifesaver (literally) for thousands. But there was one issue: the tonic made from quinine was extremely bitter.
British soldiers found the taste unbearable… until they started mixing it with their daily ration of gin. And just like that, the gin & tonic was born!
So the next time you sip a G&T, think of Richard Spruce—the botanist who helped fight malaria and helped us discover the tagua nut.
Why not enjoy a G&T while wearing a piece of tagua jewellery that carries such an incredible story? It’s sustainable, ethical, and always a conversation starter.
