How Organic Body Jewelry Is Made

The horn we use is from the Asian Water Buffalo [Bubalus bubalis] and only horn from animals which have died from natural causes is ever used.

Asian Water Buffalo

Wood Types in Organic Body Jewelry Making

Woods we use are mostly old season pieces rescued from building demolition sites around northern Thailand. Besides being environmentally friendly old season woods have more character and polish to a beautiful satin luster. These are :

• Blood Wood
• Raintree Wood
• Gaboon Ebony
• Maple
• Canary Wood
• Coconut Palm

We also use some other exotic woods for inlay purposes when required.

Some wood species can cause reactions when worn so we test each wood type before using them in our jewelry.

How Is Organic Body Jewelry Made?

Step 1 - The horn, wood, bone or shell is cut into workable size pieces depending on the size and shape of the jewelry design being made.

Step 2 - A rough design outline is hand drawn onto the piece and then the rough shape is carved by hand using various tools suitable for the raw material. The tools include small saws, scrapers, drills and files.

Step 3 - The next stage is to refine the shape and size using smaller and smaller hand files until it takes on a more recognizable shape and is measured for approximate gauge sizing.

Step 4 - If the piece requires inlay this is done next using tiny chisels to carve the design into the plug end or spiral etc.

Step 5 - After the piece has taken on the correct shape and approximate size the hand sanding and hand polishing is begun. Different grades of sand paper are used starting with 120 grit, then 240 through 360 and 600 grit. After the piece has become very smooth we hand polish it using natural bees wax with a small amount of sand added and a strip of natural cotton cloth. The cotton strip is tied to a point at one end and the jewelry is rubbed back and forth along the length of cotton until a high luster is achieved.

Step 6 - The last step is to match the jewelry into pairs taking into consideration color, shape, size and texture. The gauges are checked to be sure they are within 1/64" of the correct US gauge sizes. The pairs that pass quality control are stocked and the pieces that have not passed QC are put into our close out

How Long Does It Take To Make Organic Body Jewelry

On average it takes 5 hours for experienced artisans to make a pair of organic plugs, organic hooks or organic tunnels etc. Plugs and tunnels can be ordered in various wearable areas to suit thin, medium or thick lobes.

Who Makes Your Organic Body Jewelry?

We employ people aged 16 years and over only and in fact give some of the simpler work like sanding and hand polishing to older retired people who can no longer do the back breaking work required in the rice fields. This helps many families financially as they normally have the burden of looking after their retired parents [no social security out here I'm afraid]

This means retired folks can do some work at home piecemeal with the satisfaction of knowing they are alleviating the family's financial burden + learn some basic crafts.

Organic Body Jewelry Aftercare

We recommend cleaning organics with a small amount of water and a natural soap.

Dry immediately after cleaning with clean cotton cloth. Do not dry them in direct sunlight.

To restore the luster, polish with bees wax and a cotton cloth. Any small nicks or scratches can be sanded with 1000 grit sand paper. Polish with natural bees wax with a little fine sand mixed into it if you wish and a cotton cloth.

Organics are known to significantly reduce 'ear grundge' compared to steel, plastic or silicone etc and have a naturally warm feel.

We recommend wearing them in healed piercings.

Organic Body Jewelry: Plug Shapes

Double Flared Plugs - Classic saddle shape with flares at each end to keep the plugs in place in the ear lobes.

Single Flare Plugs Plugs - Flared at one end only with a notch carved into the opposite end to accommodate an o-ring.

Top Hat Plugs - Straight plug with a flat flare at one end and a notch carved into the opposite end to accommodate an o-ring.

Double Top Hat Plugs - Straight plug with a flat flare at each end.

Double O-Ring Plugs - Straight plug with a notch carved into each end to accommodate o-rings.

There are some variations on these but they represent the basic shapes.

Organic Body Jewelry: Tunnel Shapes

Double Flared Tunnels - Classic saddle shape with flares at each end to keep the tunnels in place in the ear lobes.

Single Flair Tunnels - Flared at one end only with a notch carved into the opposite end to accommodate an o-ring.

Top Hat Tunnels - Straight tunnel with a flat flare at one end and a notch carved into the opposite end to accommodate an o-ring.

Double Top Hat Tunnels - Straight tunnel with a flat flare at each end.

Double O-Ring Tunnels - Straight tunnel with a notch carved into each end to accommodate o-rings.

Again there are some variations on these but they represent the basic shapes.

Organic Body Jewelry: Sizes

Plugs and Tunnels are produced in sizes 8G up to 3 inches.

Organic plugs and tunnels can be ordered in various wearable areas to suit thin, medium or thick lobes. Measure from flare tip to flare to get the correct wearable area.

• 1/4" [6.4mm]
• 5/16" [7.9mm]
• 3/8" [9.5mm]
• 7/16" [11mm]
• 1/2" [12.7mm]
• 5/8" [16mm]
• 3/4" [19mm]
• 7/8" [22mm]
• 1" [25.5mm]

To see our artisans work, check out the organic body jewelry section of our website. Wholesale Body Jewelry pricing is available.

Copyright © Siam Intercontinental Handicrafts 2007-2011

Anyone interested in publishing this copyright article is welcome to do so as long as it is not changed in any way. It must be credited to Siam Intercontinental Handicrafts and a link must be placed to http://www.siaminterhandicrafts.com