Since the earliest of time, man has made utensils from natural materials such as clay, stone, metals, bone and horn. In today’s era of plastics, working with these natural materials has become a lost art.
At Belart, our up-cycled horn jewelry is crafted using ancient techniques from bovine or water buffalo horn. Our horn is collected under the WFTO / World Fair Trade Organization and the Fair Trade Federation’s strict rules. We utilize only horn that has been discarded naturally, from old age, natural shedding or discarded from animals that have been used for consumption. Our up-cycled horn collections come from South East Asia's isolated, rural villages in Vietnam and from South America's Colombia Northern Guajira desert, Wayuu region.
About the Wayuu People
The Wayuu are descendants of the Guyanese Arawak tribe, one of the few native tribes who successfully resisted the European domination dating back to Christopher Columbus. They are a nomadic tribe with a legendary history. Their ancestral traditions value craftsmanship and art and they expertly work with a variety of materials including cotton, virgin wools, animal hide and horn.
The Wayuu believe that in order to thank and honor the animals they consume, they must utilize all of its parts, including bone, hoof and horn. The jewelry pieces that we bring to you are made from upcycled, non-endangered bovine and water buffalo horn, discarded from animals that died from old age or were used for food consumption.
About Vietnam
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Vietnam has a literacy rate of 93% placing a high value on education
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There are over fifty ethnic groups in Vietnam, but the majority identify themselves as Kinh.
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The Red River Valley in Vietnam has a long and rich artisanal history. There are more than 2500 known as “Craft Villages” in Vietnam and 1,300 of those are in Hanoi alone. For over 450 years, artisans in Vietnam in the Dang Yen and Thuy Ung Villages have been traditionally carving horn into combs and beautiful pieces of art.
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Vietnam is the 2nd largest worldwide exporter of rice and the 7th worldwide consumer of rice.
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80% of Vietnamese are engaged in rice cultivation.
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Water buffalo is an honored and important animal in Vietnamese culture. Thousands of massive water buffalos are used for tilling the rice fields all across the country.
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Belart’s Up-Cycled horn is collected under FTF and WFTO practices assuring that the horn utilized, is discarded horn from animals that have died from old age, from shedding and from animals that have been used for meat consumption.
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For rural Vietnamese, of whom 11 million live in severe poverty, economic opportunities are scarce. As an FTF member, we work and partner with WFTO / World Fair Trade Organisations, creating a positive impact on the lives and communities of these rural artisan groups, by nurturing sustainable relationships, opening international markets for their products, and by abiding by Fair Trade principles.
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Belart’s timeless pieces are designed in Vermont and thoughtfully handcrafted in accordance with Fair Trade laws and practices in Vietnam and Colombia, where the artists transform the wild, indomitable bull‘s horn into soft, docile works of unique artistic beauty.
