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Naturally beautiful image by @bodylabelshop

Tree Huggers: Organic Body Jewelry

In recent years, the term “organic”, meaning it is derived from a living organism and without the use of artificial elements, has been made popular by the media. A lot of things like food and clothing have planted their seed in the “organic” soil, sprung up and have been making branches through out people’s lives. We have been obsessed with all things “organic” that we have failed to see that long before it was a trend, it was a way of life.

As Old as Time

Using organic materials in body jewelry is not so surprising. We may well as observe that by looking at our African brothers and sisters. They were the first people to wear and make jewelry; the oldest African jewelry was discovered in 2004 and it was made from mollusk shells, and was estimated to be 75,500 years old. Among the materials used are usually found in the environment like stone, bone and commonly, wood.

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Stunning image by @earthspirit on Instagram

Reason for Change

So why have we hyped this type of jewelry even though it’s been here all this time? Simple, people now are ecologically conscious. They have been discovering the benefits of organic things in health and wellness. Aside from that, the concern for animal welfare and the environment have sparked a drive for people to change from being apathetic consumers to responsible citizens of the world.

Health Benefits

One of the most sought after benefit from using organic jewelry is its positive effect towards health. Since it’s free from chemicals or any artificial solvents, it’s safe for long term use. It’s lighter than most metals, needs less processing than plastics and is healthier for a stretched piercing than most materials. The chance of getting or developing an allergy is less compared to metals. After being sanded or polished, the wood would still be porous and it would allow the stretched skin or “fistula” to breathe. This in turn eliminates foul odors and lessens discharge.

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Image by @2ndly on Instagram

Robust Quality

One of the criteria for a good jewelry is its durability. Natural wood products are polished rather than coated. With this, they can be re-polished with natural beeswax or organic oils like jojoba if they begin to lose their luster, allowing them to last for years of wear. And if they wore out their life span, they can be painted or used in decorations, crafts or repurposed into other jewelry, adding to their sustainability.

The Fair Trade

Along with anything organic, the trend also emphasized about consumer involvement. Fair trade is being practiced all over the world to help developing countries. Fair trade jewelry benefits the workers down in the chain who often live in poor conditions. This process works because the profits won’t dissolve somewhere in the middle of the supply chain; they will be distributed to the miners, processors and designers, helping them to improve and sustain their communities. Not only do you help environmentally, but also economically.

As long as there are people who are eco-conscious, this fashion trend won’t be leaving anytime soon. Organic jewelry is not only for tree-huggers, but to all piercing-lovers who want a new style or just want to save planet earth with things they only know how. Don’t know what wooden plugs to choose? Come visit our store and choose from our array of organic body jewelry.

Tree Huggers Idea Book