The Tagua Town Animals are all hand carved from tagua seeds, the fruit of the Tagua Palm Tree that grows in the Amazon Rainforest in South America. Often known as vegetable or vegan ivory, tagua is an environmentally friendly, elephant friendly and sustainable alternative to animal ivory. Because it has commercial value, it also helps to stop deforestation in the places where it grows.

These collectible tagua friends are made by skilled artisan makers in Cerro Grande and Sosote, Ecuador, where Tagua carving supports 90 families, who have formed a co-operative providing much needed income for the local community. They use a variety of sanding processes and then polish the nut to achieve a smooth surface.