

PLANT BASED JEWELLERY HANDCRAFTED FROM VEGETABLE IVORY

Meet The Artisans
When living in Ecuador, we were fortunate enough to meet two of Ecuador’s finest tagua artisans, Cesar and his wife Teresa. For five years we have worked hand-in-hand with this talented Indigenous Quichua artisan family who bring to life beautiful handcrafted jewellery from nature.
What we love is the connections we have made over the years and how we have come to rely on one another. We felt so moved that our very first order with Cesar meant he was able buy his family their very first washing machine!
Meet The Founder
Hi! I’m Alison and I often get asked how a ‘wee Scottish lass’ like me ended up living in Ecuador, starting a jewellery business with artisans in the Andes, and falling in love with one of the most of amazing natural wonders in the plant kingdom. It’s a crazy story but true! And I haven’t even told you yet how the jewellery helps save elephants and how I made my husband my business partner and we ended up as “The Happy Elephant”!
Let customers speak for us
Frequently Asked Questions
Who makes the jewellery & how?
For over 5 years we have worked with Cesar, one of Ecuador’s finest Indigenous artisans. He and his wife and brothers carefully craft The Happy Elephant jewellery.
Sea beans are dried in the sun then polished to a high attractive sheen. Like a conker that never shrivels!
How sustainable are Sea Beans?
They are considered to be highly sustainable as they thrive in challenging salty marine environments.
They also act as a carbon sink, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere meaning they benefit the coastal ecosystem.
How durable are Sea Beans?
Extremely. They often drop into the Amazonian river system and float out in to the Atlantic to eventually arrive on beaches here in the UK. How durable is that!
Are they heavy to wear?
No - they are super lightweight. This is one of the many benefits that our customers comment on.
Can I send a gift directly?
Yes of course! Just add your product, and at checkout add your giftee’s address in the shipping info, and any personal note you’d like to send and we’ll do the rest!
It comes beautifully gift wrapped and includes an information leaflet that not only tells the story of tagua, but also about our artisans who make the jewellery.