Handcrafted in Ecuador from the tagua seed - nature's "vegetable ivory" - wearable art carrying a story nobody expects.
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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”!
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!
Prompt delivery and beautifully packaged.
Lovely necklace, so unusual and goes with so many colours. Love it,
It arrived well packaged and looks lovely. Can't wait to wear it soon
Beautiful piece of jewellery
Beautiful piece of jewellery
I love it !
I bought this necklace for my sister for her birthday and she loves it! I had a sneaky peak before I sent it to her and I loved it too - the colours are so vibrant and it is beautifully made. And it was very light to send through the post too, which was a bonus! I love the story behind it. Thank you.
Love these earrings. Beautiful colour and the style is perfect. They work for wearing dusting the day and for matching up with an outfit for evening. I had the clip on conversion added which work perfect for me. As always the service was impeccable. 🥰
Items arrive promptly and are nicely packaged. Great company to deal with.
Nice necklace. Lovely colours. Comfortable to wear.
Lovely
Shopping with Happy Elephant is simple, straightforward and very rewarding :)
I absolutely LOVE my earrings, I bought them to go with a multi coloured dress and they go perfectly. They also go with my multicoloured Galapagos necklace. I also appreciate the eco friendly packaging and personalised note in each one :)
Beautiful bracelet, comfy and striking.
perfect colour! love these earrings, they are so light to wear.
For over five years we have worked with Cesar, one of Ecuador’s finest Indigenous tagua artisans. He, his wife and his brothers carefully craft The Happy Elephant jewellery.
Tagua seeds are first dried in the sun for three months. They are then carved into pieces, tumbled to produce a high polish, and dyed using colourfast specialist dyes made for natural materials such as tagua, wool and linen.
Tagua is incredibly sustainable, offering multiple environmental benefits that make it a true eco-friendly material. When you choose tagua, you're supporting rainforest conservation, providing fair wages to local communities, and helping protect endangered elephants by offering a renewable alternative to ivory.
Tagua jewellery is very durable. Crafted from a naturally hard material tagua jewellery can be worn every day while maintaining its beauty.
No - tagua jewellery is ultra lightweight. This is one of the unique benefits of tagua that our customers comment on.
Yes! Tagua is actually a seed, not a nut, making it safe for those with nut allergies to wear. However, if you have severe allergies, it's always recommended to consult with your healthcare provider first.
Tagua begins as a sweet liquid that can be drunk, then sets into a jelly that’s edible, and finally hardens into a durable seed perfect for carving.
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.
I usually go for autumnal colours but l love green and this lecklace goes goes with everything. Love not having to fiddle with a fastener too
Hi so glad you love your Liliana necklace. The slip-knot fastener is just so convenient as you said. Thanks for sharing your lovely feedback.
This is a stunning statement necklace that is so light weight and easy to wear. The colours are bright & vibrant, and the slip knot fasten means it can be worn at whatever length best suits your outfit which makes it very versatile for all necklines. I know I will get a lot of wear out of this necklace!
I love it !
The 3 words we love to read! Thanks Jan.
This is the 3rd purchase from The Happy Elephant. The quality is outstanding and the colours are true to what you see. Excellent customer service. Will definitely be purchasing again from them.
A huge thank you for such a lovely review. It really means so much to our small business to know you love the jewellery and the service.
Really vibrant colour, very tactile, love how easy it is to put on and adjust the length. All smooth surfaces so no danger of snagging clothes
Hi Catherine, thank you for sharing what you love about your purchases. The slipknot is just so practical in giving such flexibility in the neckalce length.
This was for an 80th birthday present for my friend who didn’t want anything ! Not heard back yet but know she will be thrilled. I will be ordering for myself in the next couple of weeks .
I have had several comments when wearing it. I also love the adjustable cord, for length & it’s lightweight. Goes brilliantly with the outfit I wanted it for, but can go with casual or smart. All in all a great buy!
Hi Gillian, we're thrilled to hear you love your Liliana necklace and that it complements your outfits so well! Thanks for sharing your wonderful feedback. Enjoy wearing it!
A lovely, vibrant necklace, lightweight and easy to wear
Hi Jane! We're so glad you love the Liliana necklace. Thanks for sharing your wonderful feedback!
Ordered this and a Gaby necklace in pinks at same time to complement a couple of dresses. This necklace is perfect. Lovely greens and great to be able to adjust length. Arrived beautifully and carefully packaged. I have already made more purchases. Happy Elephant is brilliant!
Thank you Shelagh for such a wonderful review. You have put a big smile on our faces.
Really beautiful and tactile necklace.....beyond pleased
This beautiful necklace was bought as a Christmas present. I am sure the recipient will love it.
Beautiful bright colours in this necklace that add a pop to any outfit. I love the fact that it is completely made from natural materials too.
So happy you love your necklace! Enjoy wearing it!!
Very happy with the product, but also with the ethos, and I have enjoyed wearing it.
I love the colours and designs of your necklaces. They are so vibrant. I get so many positive comments when I wear one.
Thank you so much for your review and wonderful to hear about all the compliments.
I usually go for autumnal colours but l love green and this lecklace goes goes with everything. Love not having to fiddle with a fastener too
Hi so glad you love your Liliana necklace. The slip-knot fastener is just so convenient as you said. Thanks for sharing your lovely feedback.
This is a stunning statement necklace that is so light weight and easy to wear. The colours are bright & vibrant, and the slip knot fasten means it can be worn at whatever length best suits your outfit which makes it very versatile for all necklines. I know I will get a lot of wear out of this necklace!
I love it !
The 3 words we love to read! Thanks Jan.
This is the 3rd purchase from The Happy Elephant. The quality is outstanding and the colours are true to what you see. Excellent customer service. Will definitely be purchasing again from them.
A huge thank you for such a lovely review. It really means so much to our small business to know you love the jewellery and the service.
Really vibrant colour, very tactile, love how easy it is to put on and adjust the length. All smooth surfaces so no danger of snagging clothes
Hi Catherine, thank you for sharing what you love about your purchases. The slipknot is just so practical in giving such flexibility in the neckalce length.
This was for an 80th birthday present for my friend who didn’t want anything ! Not heard back yet but know she will be thrilled. I will be ordering for myself in the next couple of weeks .
I have had several comments when wearing it. I also love the adjustable cord, for length & it’s lightweight. Goes brilliantly with the outfit I wanted it for, but can go with casual or smart. All in all a great buy!
Hi Gillian, we're thrilled to hear you love your Liliana necklace and that it complements your outfits so well! Thanks for sharing your wonderful feedback. Enjoy wearing it!
A lovely, vibrant necklace, lightweight and easy to wear
Hi Jane! We're so glad you love the Liliana necklace. Thanks for sharing your wonderful feedback!
Ordered this and a Gaby necklace in pinks at same time to complement a couple of dresses. This necklace is perfect. Lovely greens and great to be able to adjust length. Arrived beautifully and carefully packaged. I have already made more purchases. Happy Elephant is brilliant!
Thank you Shelagh for such a wonderful review. You have put a big smile on our faces.
Really beautiful and tactile necklace.....beyond pleased
This beautiful necklace was bought as a Christmas present. I am sure the recipient will love it.
Beautiful bright colours in this necklace that add a pop to any outfit. I love the fact that it is completely made from natural materials too.
So happy you love your necklace! Enjoy wearing it!!
Very happy with the product, but also with the ethos, and I have enjoyed wearing it.
I love the colours and designs of your necklaces. They are so vibrant. I get so many positive comments when I wear one.
Thank you so much for your review and wonderful to hear about all the compliments.
