Our materials are Responsibly Harvested.
Why choose Organic Jewelry?
First, its beautiful. The natural colors of the materials complement out own beauty, and feel good to wear. The organic nature of the materials we use is gentle to the delicate and sensitive skin of our bodies, and has no varnish or other finish that may cause irritation.
If you have an allergy to metals that prevents you from wearing jewelry, this may exactly what you need. Our organic materials are hypoallergenic to 99.9%. (note: Our organic earrings with posts fit comfortably and normally in 98% of pierced ears. If your ears are recently pierced or very sensitive, you may experience discomfort due to the size of the earring post. We recommend oiling the post slightly before you put them in your ear the first time with jojoba oil or a similar gentle and natural oil to help alleviate any discomfort.)
By choosing organic jewelry as opposed to stone or metal, you are not contributing to the environmental hazards and degradation of natural lands created in the processes of mining stone or metal and refining metals. No materials are wasted in our production process. All are biodegradable. Any extra wood from production of jewelry is used as fuel for cooking or composted into the garden, any bone or horn scraps are composted in the garden as well.
Materials: Sources and Harvesting Practices
WOOD JEWELRY
SONO WOOD,
Varieties: Sonokeling, Sonokembang
LATIN NAME: Pterocarpus Indicus.
ORIGIN: Indonesia, East Jawa (Java), Blitar regency
HARVESTING PRACTICE: The source we use offers Plantation Grown Sono, though it can be wild harvested under government control. Tree must have minimum diameter of 30 cm before cutting, the trees are replanted in the wild harvest setting
OTHER DETAILS: This tropical wood has a beautiful color variance from a deep brown to golden brown highlights, and is still abundant and responsibly grown and harvested. The variety we use is Sonokeling.
HIBISICUS WOOD,
OTHER COMMON NAMES: Waru
LATIN NAME: Hibiscus Tiliaceus
ORIGIN: Indonesia, West Bali, Northern Tabanan Regency
HARVESTING PRACTICE: the source we use offers Plantation Grown Waru. The trees re-sprout freely from the stump after cutting.
ARENG WOOD,
LATIN NAME: Diospyros Confertiflora
ORIGIN: Indonesia, East Jawa (Java), Pulau Madura. Also Sumba.
HARVESTING PRACTICE: wild harvested.
OTHER DETAILS: This beautiful tropical wood is naturally black in color.
BETAWAS WOOD,
LATIN NAME: Wrightia Apocynaceae
HARVESTING PRACTICE: Wild harvested
OTHER DETAILS: Looks like ivory, and the lightest weight wood we use.
CROCODILE WOOD,
OTHER NAMES: Panggal Buaya (Spine / scale of Crocodile)
LATIN NAME: Zanthoxylum Rhetsa .
ORIGIN: Indonesia, Bali, Tabanan Regency, Selemadeg district.
HARVESTING PRACTICE: Can be grown in a Plantation or “Wild Garden”. The Wild Garden is an area of land behind where the people in the village live, many trees, fruits and plants are grown there. Essentially it is a kind of family farm, half wild, that is shared by the community. A permit must be acquired and the community must agree before the wood is cut.
OTHER DETAILS: Native to lowlands from India to the Philippines, crocodile wood is almost ivory in color, and is sometimes referred to as the ivory of woods because of its smooth finish and color.
WOOD JEWELRY
SABO WOOD,
LATIN NAME: Manilkara kaukii
ORIGIN: Indonesia, Bali, Payangan Village.
HARVESTING PRACTICE:
OTHER DETAILS: This wood has a natural fleshy tone that varies from a light skin color to red peach.
Our Source: The Sabo Wood we use comes from "wild garden" on land of the family of one of our master carvers. By chance, they have the trees growing there and they cut it themselves for our use and to help the economic situation of the family.
COCONUT WOOD & SHELL,
OTHER COMMON NAMES: Coconut Palm
LATIN NAME: Cocos Nucifera
ORIGIN: Indonesia, Bali
HARVESTING PRACTICE: the coconut shell is a byproduct of the harvesting of coconut for food and oil. the wood is plantation grown, home grown, or from "wild farms" in the village.
OTHER DETAILS: Recycled. Coconut is one of the staple foods and main exports of Indonesia, and grows in great abundance. In effort to utilize all parts of this plant, the shell is also used to create art, jewelry, and cookware.
Our Source: The Coconut Shell we use comes from the people around the village who have it left as a byproduct of food source.
About the wood jewelry and its care:
Natural materials of any kind require care. Take care not to drop it or sit or step on it, the carvings are fine and the materials delicate. The wood needs to be conditioned occasionally, and should be oiled to protect it with jojoba oil or another organic jewelry care product. This will help to maintain the color and integrity of the material, and may deepen the color slightly. This may also happen over time due to the natural oils of your skin absorbing into the material as it becomes a part of your daily life, however, you should still take the time to clean and condition your wood jewelry.
Organic jewelry should never be left in water or direct sunlight (like the bathroom sink or the dashboard of your car).
Do not soak or autoclave any of our organic materials.
BONE & HORN JEWELRY
WATER BUFFALO BONE & HORN,
LATIN NAME: bubalus bubalis.
ORIGIN: South-East Asia
HARVESTING PRACTICE: Recycled. The bone and horn we use is left over from meat production and farming practice.
OTHER DETAILS: The water buffalo of South East Asia is a domesticated animal. It is used to plow fields and carry loads. They are well treated and important to the survival of the native people. When they are too old to work, they are eaten and all part of the animal are utilized. They are never taken in pursuit of the bones and horns!
Our Source: Ours comes from the Island of Lombok, Indonesia.
About the horn jewelry and its care:
Horn is very much like your hair or fingernails in nature, and requires care. Take care to protect it from harsh elements and not to drop it or sit or step on it. The horn needs to be conditioned, and should be oiled to protect it with jojoba oil or some other organic jewelry care product. This will maintain the color and preserve the smooth surface.
Organic jewelry should never be left sitting in water or direct sunlight (like the bathroom sink or the dashboard of your car).
Do not soak or autoclave any of our organic materials.
We are open to and welcome any documented information to supplement or amend this information.
If you have any suggestions, corrections or additions, please email them to us at: sales@OrganicEarrings.com with the word "materials" in the subject line.