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Only elephants
need
elephant tusks

NiNi : Nut ivory is Not ivory

Living in Africa in the 1960s, my parents were given some antique ivory ornaments.   When they brought them home, I was intrigued.  I loved the feel, the subtle differences in color, the cool smoothness.  But when I learned where this marvelous material came from, I was horrified.  I made a child’s promise never to do anything to harm an elephant.  No ivory for me.

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Fast forward (more than) a few years, and imagine how happy I was to discover another ivory – the one which grows on trees.  It seems there is a plant in the South American rain forests called the Elephant Palm (no joke … that’s really its scientific name) producing a fruit so dense and hard that it can be carved and polished just like elephant or walrus tusks. 

 

The tree’s nut – which we call Nuvory™ – is a perfect substitute for animal tusks.

Nuvory is a really great alternative.  This extraordinary material is confusingly similar in color, appearance and feel to animal ivory.  Like animal ivory, it is rare, exotic, completely natural and comes from a marvelous wild creature.  But unlike elephants, palm trees don’t die when Nuvory is harvested.

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Both Nuvory and animal ivory come from an endangered species … The difference is that using one helps preserve rain forests, while the other contributes to a slaughter.  So, I encourage everyone to support the fight against poaching and exploitation of animal ivory.  And to try Nuvory as a sustainable, responsible substitute – We currently feature it in our Primo Amore, Wings and In Vogue collections. 

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So please use Nuvory … because ‘The Most Beautiful Ivory Grows on Trees’

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Lets do something to save the elephants … before it’s too late

Sometimes a problem seems so complex that we don’t know where to start in addressing it. But stopping the ivory trade and the elephant massacres which feed it needs immediate action.  So lets do something!

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NiNi is a campaign to eliminate the use of animal ivory in jewelry, fine arts and luxury brands.  Sponsored by Dutch jewelry brand Couleurs de Géraldine, NiNi’s focus is on Conservation, Advocacy, Substitution and Education.

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None of us can solve the problem by ourselves, and every little bit helps.  Join the efforts to save this marvel of nature – through NiNi and the other organizations working hard to protect elephants and their habitats.

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