ACHOTE Handicrafts
Materials
Our items are fair-trade and we use natural, biodegradable materials that have been harvested in a sustainable manner. The fusion and creation of unique bio jewels are connecting our two mayor aims - the environmental preservation with giving disadvantaged indigenous people, communities an opportunity to participate on the level of global market and Creation of unique Jewels which have deeper connection to The Earth and Spiritual meaning.
Huayruro
Huayruro (Ormosia coccinea) also known by the names barakaro, kokriki, panacoco, tento, wo-ka, horse eye bean is plant native to Peru, and has been an important part of Peruvian culture in Amazonia for centuries. Huayruro trees are found in the tropical areas as in outskirts as in rainforest of the Amazon, extending to Central America and southern Mexico. Its name differs from country to country. Thus the seed of huayruro is also called: bean of the luck, tintoria (Brazil), cairuro (Colombia), huayruro, (Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador), etc.
They are naturally red (female), or red with a black spot (male) medium size or small black and red (baby) or big red (mother) and are said to bring good fortune, abundance and a symbol of fertility, while also warding off negative energy and bringing the protection to who are wearing them.
In several regions of the Peruvian Andes, huayruro is used in religious ceremonies and in the Amazon region the native people use this seed to make necklaces, bracelets, earrings and different handcrafted adornments. Huayruro seeds make powerful charm which are popular as gifts for those in need of a little good luck.
OX´S EYE
Ojo de Buey is the Spanish for “Ox’s eye” and it comes from the Mucuna Mutisiana plant, which is a climbing plant found in the Colombian regions of Antioquia, Cundinamarca, Magdalena, Norte de Santander and Santander. Its fruit is about 10 to 15cms long and it contains 2 or 3 brown seeds with a black band around them. The case of the fruit is used in a medicine against oedema, the roots for the treatment of cholera and its leaves also have medicinal purposes.
It is used also as an amulet for its powerful properties. Raddish brown with dark and golden reflections, or color variety with silver border, has healing properties, blends are useful to get rid of traumas and develop strength to face the changes. It provides increased physical endurance and make a shield to negative outside influences. The possession of this powerful amulet increases the self-confidence of the person who is wearing it, making her/him safe and very successful in life.
Red Chocho
Ormosia colombiana Rudd is also commonly known as the bean which brings the luck - According to the Botanical Gardens of the Technological University of Pereira (Colombia), this specie is used as shade for the production of charcoal and firewood. Its seeds are naturally red/orange and can also have black spots, making them very attractive for making handicrafts, especially jewelry. Many locals don’t realize that keeping these plants can bring revenue by selling the desired seeds for jewelry making, therefore it is often cut down to make way for more ‘useful’ plants.
Camajuro
The Panama tree, camoruco or manduvi tree (Sterculia apetala) is a species of plant in the Malvaceae family. Other Common names: Anacag_ita (Puerto Rico), Bellota (Chiapas, Mexico), Panama (Panama), Sunsun (Venezuela), Camajuro (Colombia).
It is a tree of great size which originates from Central America and northen South America, it has a straight trunk and it branches out to great heights. It is widely distributed from Mexico to Venezuela and Colombia including some of the Antilles. In Venezuela is found at low sea levels, especially in the estates of Aragua and Carabobo where it reaches gigantic heights.
During the growth period, it requires shade for its development. It’s a demanding tree where soil type is concerned, its roots are deep and has a long life. The trunk is straight and it develops quickly specially when is of great size, buttress need it for its own support because of its size. It can reach a height of 50m.
TAGUA
Tagua is the hardened fruit of the Ivory-nut Palm Tree (Phytelephas Macrocarpa) or also known as Macrocarpa (Phytelephas Seemannij). It flourishes in the tropical forests from Paraguay to Panama and in South America, especially in Ecuador and forms an integral part of the local eco-system.
This nut is an almond-white, hard, smooth, opaque nut and has a similar texture to ivory. It is an eco-friendly product and sustainable material. It can easily be dyed and cut or carved to create stunning and unique sculptures, beeds, slices, buttons and more. Many American and European designers as us begin to include this material in their collections to replace ivory.
Therefore, Tagua proved to be a sustainable substitute for elephant and whale ivory because of its properties and similarities.
Tagua is a wild fruit, which grows in tropical forests under loads of other trees which provide it with shade. It is almost impossible to reproduce the conditions and type of soil in which is able to grow. There are male and female trees and only the female bears the fruit. Tagua reproduces itself when the fruit falls on the ground, many start to take root and become fully grown palms.
The fruit required for craft making can only be collected when it falls on the ground, if collected before, it will not harden and it cannot be used for crafts. Only a small percentage of the Tagua is collected to encourage forest growth. Wildlife feeds from the outer layers of the fruit leaving the fruit behind and making it easy to collect.It had been used by indigenous cultures of South America for thousands of years and is even said to give powers of attraction and fertility.
BOMBONA
The main material used in our collections is Bombona seed which comes from a majestic palm tree Dictyocaryum lamarckianum also known as ‘Palmera Barrigona‘ (Big Belly Palm Tree) Found in wet forests of South America, especially in the Pacific area, at between 800 to 1.200m above sea level. It grows up to 30m and it requires rich soils, plenty of water and frost free conditions. In the areas of natural distribution it is used by the Embera indigenous for constructions and its fruit is eaten or used to make wine or jams.
Another kind of bombona seed comes from a palm tree (Iriartea deltoidea) indigenous to central and south America. Animals such as toucans, tapirs, monkeys, pigs and rodents eat the fruits. The bombona seeds can be dyed and then polished to make stunning globular balls popular for making jewelry. The unique texture of each seed makes the bombona the perfect raw material for accessories and for craft making.
Each seed reflects it own uniqueness in having its own shape, form and markings. The rainforest seeds coming especially from Colombia then from Ecuador and Peru. They are bight and colorful yet earthy. The seed used are eco-friendly and sustainable giving beauty as well as value to those who make it.
JOB´S TEARS
Job´s tears (US) or Job's-tears (UK), Lágrima de San pedro (Latin America) - scientific name Coix lacryma-jobi, also known as coixseed, tear grass, hato mugi, adlay or adlai, is a tall grain-bearing tropical plant of the family Poaceae grass family) native to Southest Asia but elsewhere cultivated in gardens as an annual. It has been naturalized in the southern United States and the New World tropics.
ACAI SEEDS
The Acai or also called Asai comes from the Euterpe Precatoria palm tree. It grows at the sea level and up to 2.000 m above sea level. It is distributed throughout Central America, Antillas, the North of South America, the Amazon basin and part of Guyana. It grows up to 20m of height; they are frequented by Toucans because of their fruit. Various parts of the Asai palm tree are used in many ways: The leaves are used for roofing, the fruits and roots for their health and energizing properties and the seeds for crafts.
The Acai Palm Tree is indigenous to the rainforest tree and is often cut down for its wood and is often cleared to make pastures for cattle farming. The fruit of the acai is small and round with a black drupe in the middle, similar in appearance and size to a grape. Its natural color is brown and after the dried process, the seeds are dyed in the desired color and finally polished. The seeds are often dyed in different colors and then combined in a variety of patterns to create different kind of natural earrings, bracelets and necklaces. The acai seed is said to possess powers of healing and of protection and is often worn by shamans.
The acai berries have also become popular in the West for their health benefits as they contain one and half times more antioxidants than pomegranate seeds, over triple the amount found in blueberries, and over six times the amount found in strawberries. Antioxidants reduce the amount of free radicals in the body therefore it's been claimed that they help to reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
SOAPBERRY SEED
Sapindus saponaria L. is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree native to the Americas. Common names include wingleaf soapberry, western soapberry, jaboncillo, sulluku and mānele (Hawaiian) Its genus name, "Sapindus", comes from the Latin, meaning Indian soap, and its specific epithet means "soapy". As an evergreen of tropical America having pulpy fruit containing saponin which was used as soap by Native Americans.
The fruit occur in large pyramidal clusters at the ends of branches. Each golden colored fruit is between 3 cm to 3.6 cm in diameter and becomes translucent and wrinkled when fully mature and contains a single black seed about 9 mm in diameter. Fruits of var. drummondii ripen in October and often remain on the tree until spring, while those of var. saponaria ripen in spring.
The fruit is a globose drupe traditionally used as soap for washing clothes , hence the common name jaboncillo . The pulp of this fruit contains a substance called saponin.
For us is this seed one of the most favourite and creating huge variaty of the jewelry. For the same reasons is also used by many indigenous communities and their shamans.
ACHIRA
The use of the Achira (Cannaceae, Canna) plant dates back to the Incas, noted as a food staple and the seeds have been discovered in 500 year old tombs used for jewelry and rattles in South America. Also referred to as Canna and Arrowroot or Indian shot, the seeds are pea-sized, round, brown or black in color, and exceptionally hard. They are used as beads in jewelry, rosaries, rattles and musical instruments.
A purple dye can be extracted from the seed, and fibers extracted from the stem of the plant are used to make jute and paper. The plant is also indigenous to the West Indies where the native people, the “Arawaks,” used the powder to draw out the toxin from wounds created by poison arrows. It is believed the name arrowroot evolved from this practice.
Canna have been used to absorb toxins from soils, in order to remove toxic heavy metals such as copper and zinc from pig waste, and to remove excess fertilizer and insecticides from greenhouse runoff. In Thailand, Canna are a traditional father's day gift.
