Materials Information
Tribu products are created from natural materials. We search the world for the best sources in order to ensure the very finest quality and highest standards for each material. Click on the material name to browse items within that category.
Varies in colour from a yellow-beige through mid and dark browns to almost black; often shot through with lighter or darker colours. The colour variation relates to the stage of development at which the coconut was picked. Tribu use many different types carefully selected from all over the world for our different products. Rings and ear rings are made from the puttee, a smaller relative of the coconut (each ring from a different nut) and belts from the larger coconut.
Usually black but can also be translucent grey with an orange- or greenish tint. It polishes to a very shiny finish and is both strong and durable due to the fibrous structure of the material. Horn is made primarily from keratin fibrous material similar to that found in nails, hair and feathers. Our horn is sourced from the domestic water buffalo, used throughout Africa and Asia as a working animal and also for it's meat and milk. NOT to be confused with the great American buffalo, which is an endangered species. Horn is regarded as a by-product of this animal's domestic capacity.
White or cream-coloured with a similar finish to horn and can be slightly more brittle but still a strong material. Bone is largely composed of the mineral calcium carbonate. Sourced from domestic cows, a by-product of the meat and leather industry, which would normally be discarded.
In the production of our pieces we use five different kinds of wood:
Palm wood:
This varies in colour from pale beige with thick orange veins through to a dark brown with beige veins. It is very light in weight.
Blackwood:
Very black in colour and looks like ebony. It is important not to confuse this material with horn as it is a good alternative for people who don't use animal products.
Indian Rosewood:
Dark red hardwood with a natural sheen.
Sandalwood:
Mid-beige in colour and somewhat oily with a distinctive sweet fragrance. Sandalwood is not used for any piercing jewellery - but mainly for necklaces and bracelets. it naturally occurs in Eastern India in the states of Mysore, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnatika.
Spiritual Uses of Sandalwood:
Sandalwood is used in many different ways in the spiritual traditions of the east. It is considered beneficial for meditation, calming and focusing the mind. It is used in incense in temples or personal altars to remind us of the fragrance of the heavenly realms. Sandalwood was also used to construct parts of temples, when it was more available. Meditation beads or malas are made with sandalwood in which Mantras or a personal prayer is repeated as the beads roll through the fingers. Sandalwood paste is used in many rituals including fire ceremonies and to anoint the forehead as a blessing, as well as to make a design symbolic to particular religious sects. The oil of sandalwood is used to anoint deities. In this way the fragrance which is emitted over time also helps to remind one of the spiritual realm. This oil is one of the best fragrant aids to meditation. A drop or two can be applied to the forehead, the temples or rubbed between the eyebrows before beginning meditation, a way to set the stage and prepare the mind to begin its inward journey.
Sono Wood:
Dalbergia latifolia is a premium-quality timber species internationally known as "Indian Rosewood". It is a mixed brown colour or Dark red hardwood with a natural sheen and is used to manufacture furniture, panelling, and other ornamental products. Medicines and an appetizer are made from tannins in the bark. The tree is commonly called sitsal, beete, shisham or Bombay Blackwood in India, and sonokeling or sonobrits in Indonesia.
Ghana Wood
This is lightwood that originates in Ghana. It is often used in typical Ghanaian woodcarvings and is harder than other types of wood. It's light colour will gradually darken overtime.
Pacific Oak Wood
Misleadingly referred to as Ebony wood in certain parts of Asia. However, Pacific Oak Wood is a lot more like Oak and can only be found in Asia, whereas Ebony comes from Africa and is a lot more dark black in colour than the Pacific Oak Wood.
Olivewood
Tribu’s Olivewood originates from olive trees from Ibiza, Spain. Olivewood is especially hard wood and therefore guarantees longevity. It is also particularly beautiful because of its texture and variation in its natural sandy colours. The Olive tree today is often used as a symbol for peace, because according to the Bible, a dove brought an olive branch to Noah to show that the flood was over. Like most wood, Olivewood will also darken over time, but its texture will always remain visible.Brass
Brass is an alloy (mix)
of copper and zinc. It is nickel-free. It has a beautiful golden shine to it,
which makes it into one of the most popular metals used for jewellery. If need
of a polish, it can easily be cleaned with a cloth and some fresh lemon juice.
Tribal Silver
Hill Tribe Silver is
made by the Karen tribe in Northern Thailand. These handcrafted pieces are 95%
to 99% pure silver. The higher silver content (compared to sterling silver,
which is 92.5%) makes the pieces softer and easier to shape.
Oxidation, hammer marks, and slight design
variances are part of the allure of these distinctive pieces.
Usually, Karen Hill Tribe Silver goes through an
oxidation process. This causes the silver items to turn black. The silver is
then polished leaving the black colouring only in the grooves of the item, this
allows tiny details and patterns to stand out. Please note that many of the
pieces will not be stamped as the stamping process is a very costly procedure
and many manufacturers cannot afford this.
Petrified Wood
Petrified wood (literally meaning “wood turned into stone” is the name given to a special type of fossilised remains of terrestrial vegetation.It is the result of the tree having turned completely into stone by the process of permineralization. All the organic materials have been replaced with minerals (mostly a silicate, such as quartz), while retaining the original structure of the wood. Tribu our petrified wood originates primarily from India.
Ammonite
Ammonites are a group of marine invertebrate animals, which became extinct at the close of the Cretaceous (65.5 Ma) along with the dinosaurs. Tribu’s Ammonites originate from Madagascar, which are known for their iridescence and are often of gem quality when polished. Their colours can range from dark brown to yellow to deep green.Onyx
Onyx is a mineral of the Earth that is a compacted and coloured form of quartz. Unlike ordinary quartz, the crystalline structure is fine and compacted, making it ideal for gemstones, and cameos. On the hardness scale, which ranges from 0 to 10, onyx falls between 6.5 and 7; compared with diamonds, which are 10.Onyx is found in a variety of different colours. At Tribu we use the green and black onyx for our jewellery. Green onyx has a colour range from a very light lime-green colour to a very light forest-green colour. Green onyx is believed to foster achievement, while black onyx is believed to have powers to absorb and transform negative energy.
Black onyx is also considered helpful for reducing stress levels and promoting mental health.
Opal
Opal is an amorphous form of silica related to quartz, not a mineral. Opal’s internal structure makes it diffract light; depending on the conditions in which it formed it can take on many colours. Opal ranges from clear through white, grey, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, magenta, rose, pink, slate, olive, brown and black. Of these hues, the reds against black other most rare, whereas white and greens are the most common. Opal is believed to promote introspection, spark imagination and strength and intuition.
Zamac
Zamac is made mostly of Zinc (about 96%). The acronym
name is established from the combined materials listed below:
1. Z – Zinc
2. A – Aluminum
3. MA – Magnesium
4. C-Copper
This page will be soon updated with images for better introdution with the Materials.
Thanks for your patience!
Tribu
