Corozo

RAW FIBRE

Corozo Nut from the Tagua Palm Tree

CHEMISTRY

Cellulose (Plant) 

ORIGIN

Equatorial South America 

SUSTAINABILITY

So much of the world's rainforest is being cut down for the short sighted purpose of economic progress, however there are specific indigenous trees that are valuable crops such as the Tagua Palm. These produce around fifteen spiny balls per year known as 'Mococha'. Each Mococha houses up to 1,800 nuts, also known as 'corozo' or 'vegetable ivory'. 

Corozo is a sustainable solution to button making as the nuts are harvested year after year and only once the palm tree has matured. The Mococha naturally fall to the ground as they ripen without human intervention. The raw material is white and gooey inside, but is left to dry and harden before being cut and carved into buttons, chess pieces, jewellery etc.

The buttons we source derive from Ecuador, and are dyed in the UK. Their finish is somewhere between shiny and matt, subtly showing their natural grain. They are reasonably resistant to fading and do not scratch easily.