KOKOBELLI, le semeur de bijoux – “For a creative and committed fashion”

Good Morning my Dear Readers, Starting today we are going to share the profile of the artists that are working with ecofriendly beads, mainly tagua and coconut beads.

We have issued an open invitation to all the customers that have been supporting this project and purchasing seed beads from our beads store, and to who hasn’t yet too, to share with our readers about their artworks.

I really believe sharing is a key factor for spreading a message and I am sure everybody involved in the ecofriendly beads movement will be benefited, starting from our mother earth, the rain forest, collectors of the nuts, farmers, traders and beaders. Little actions make huge improvements 

Today I would like to introduce to our dear 37-year-old french friend, Carole and their amazing designs. I visited her website (I haven’t had done so for quite long). The first thing you see is the slogan: “For a creative and committed fashion”, and it is true… Her designs are indeed very fresh and classy.

I was very impressed with all the work she is doing with tagua. I am not such a jewelry critic but I like to admire beauty, and to

my opinion this is very beautiful. Moreover, I am starting to meet a lot of people and their designs… it is mind blowing! So many unique pieces of art. I am really enjoying this work.

I think is better that you make your own opinion yourselves. Please visit her website  and comment.

Here are some questions of the interview EcuadorianHands.com has had with

Carole, and her responses…

EH. How did you learn about Tagua beads?

C. I was walking in a “make by yourself” show in Paris. One artisan was selling natural beads of all over the world, from which some pieces in tagua, and I was immediatly fascinated and charmed by this beautiful material. Turning at home, I began any research on the web, and so it’s go on…

EH. What influenced your decision to buy tagua beads?

C. Tagua is so extraordinary : beautiful, ecofriendly, soft, light…

What is your top 5 or top 10 beads for a jewelry work?

C. I like to work with tagua beads, açaï beads, coconut beads, and other vegetable beads, but tagua occupy the main place. I work with colored beads but also natural/white one. I love the both.

EH. Do you have any suggestions on this material?

C. I would like to suggest to be carefull about dying process when you select your suppliers. The colors have to be ecofriendly, like tagua is! Too many suppliers still use toxic and pollutant dye… This is a non sense with so beautiful and ecofriendly material.

Then, my hope is that tagua trade could become fair-trade in the future, I mean that every worker could live correctly with his own work, not only the artisans, but also people who take it in the forest areas.

EH. What did you do with the Tagua beads you bought? Tell us about the design you elaborated. Send photos, videos, website, etc.

C. I am a jewel maker. You can see any design of mine on www.kokobelli.fr

EH. Would you say that your designs are made respecting the environment? Why?

C. I use only natural materials, even waxed cotton for cords. No metal, no plastic.

EH. When did you start with this hobby?

C. Two years ago

EH. Tell us how you started.

C. I was looking for a new job… Before I was a manager in a small company without link with bead and tagua and jewelry… The fact is that I have had a baby, and I wanted to change my professionnal life… To be more independant, to do some more creative and ethical activity… When I discover the tagua, it was a revelation and love at first sight! So tagua really changed my life!

EH. How many hours a week you devote to this hobby?

C. This is not only my hobby but my main activity : between 40 to 50 hours a week.

EH. Do you work professionally designing beaded jewelry?

C. Yes I do.

EH. What other hobbies do you have?

C. I am impassionned for photography since many years.

EH.

Carole, thank you very much for your time. It has been very educative.

Thank you for your suggestions. We are indeed taking special care on the dyes. And also, we really want to have a fair trade. As I have always explained, it is impossible to know much about the trading within the rain forest areas as it is informal and not yet regulated. A family gathers 2 pounds of nuts, gets a boat across the river, gets to the town and sell it to local merchants. From that point though, trading is traceable. We expect to make it traceable from the very beginning. This is government’s work though.

To all beaders and readers, I hope you enjoy this post. If you would like to share your experiences with us please download this interview-form, fill it and email it to: blog@ecuadorianhands.com. We are very interested in learning about yourself and your work!

Please keep on beading, Cheers, Fabrizio