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"Vegetable Ivory is the closest material to elephant ivory in both colour and hardness," according to Juan Munoz of the jewellery brand LeJu. "It’s also 100% sustainable and saves many elephants from being killed.”

Munoz is the business brain behind sustainable jewellery company, LeJu, which he set up with designer, Lenny Trines. The pair were travelling in South America in 2004 when they decided to take an eight week trip down the Amazon river.

"We would go for walks in the jungle in the company of guides and hunters. They showed us how different plants and trees can be used for medicine, plastic, and so on," explains Munoz. "This is how we were introduced to the palm seed - called Tagua or Vegetable Ivory - and other tropical seeds that were had natural vibrant colours. Lenny was amazed by the prospect of being able to make jewellery with sustainable plant-based products. Straight away she felt a connection to the Amazon and a compulsion to design and create."

Vegetable Ivory is a seed harvested from the palm tree Hypheane Phytelephas, which is found naturally in the Amazon. The seeds are collected from the ground, after they have dried and reached the appropriate hardness for carving.

"The processing is done using primitive machines with razors to carve the seed," explains Trines. "The natural plant and oil-based dyes are applied and, as the seeds are porous like skin, they take in the natural dyes. Once coloured, the beads and unique shapes are polished, giving them a shiny finish. The finished pieces have grainy patterns in them to show age - much like a tree."

LeJu jewellery fuses South American techniques and European fashion trends, which Trines is an expert on. Born in The Netherlands, she spent ten years in the retail trade, draws inspiration from numerous sources to create a range of chunky yet delicate pieces.

"The jewellery market is flooded with cheap imports from China, Asia and India," she says. "People are now starting to realise that there is a lack of uniqueness - too much of the same.

"Eco ideals in fashion teach people about where their products come from and what the social and environmental impacts are. When wearing a piece of our jewellery - which is the end part of a long chain involving amazing efforts and inspiration - the consumer can feel proud that they are contributing positively to something bigger."

Munoz is confident that environmental and social issues are important to contemporary consumers. He acknowledges that there have been quite a lot of companies jumping on the eco-bandwagon, but argues that LeJu has a fairly clear conscience.

"The reactions to LeJu have been fantastic. Consumers are really excited about the product,” he says. “Our colours are so vivid, but also the fact that it’s plant-based and sustainable has people falling in love with it. It’s nice to receive so many nice compliments and know that people really appreciate it. It reassures us that we’re doing the right thing."

LeJu currently supplies products to over 50 retailers (including online), while a successful presence at London Fashion Week has built on strong press interest from the likes of Vogue, Marie Claire, Vanity Fair and Harpers Bizarre: Fashionism is swinging behind the label.

"We even ended up on a London Fashion Week video on YouTube (above, left) a couple of years ago, which has been viewed by thousands of people around the globe, which is shocking, really," says Munoz.

"In the long term we want to expand to Europe, mainly France and Germany. We also want to play a larger role in South America by getting more involved in other similar projects and eventually bringing more varied products and ideas to Europe. Eventually we want to establish our brand in the U.K. as the premiere fashion jewellery label working with Vegetable Ivory."

words: Andrew Laughlin

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