Meet the Artist

My name is Ande Axelrod. Thanks for visiting Treats Designs.

I design and handcraft tagua jewelry in my home studio on the west coast of Canada. As a successful graphic designer and artist, I found in this unique natural material a vast creative potential, as well as an opportunity to express my commitment to ethical and sustainable values in my artwork.

South American tagua palm trees produce the nut that is at the heart of my designs. I am proud that I source my tagua through a fair-trade partnership that I established in 2015 while working with artisans in the village of Sosote, Ecuador.

Peeled and polished tagua is so similar to elephant ivory that it is known as “vegetable ivory” and has been used as a substitute since the early 20th century. Nobody needs real ivory except an elephant (or a walrus)! Learn more about how tagua is dried, carved, dyed and made into the beautiful beads used in Treats Designs.

I use sterling silver, hemp, leather, and latex-free rubber to finish my designs. Have a look around. If you have any questions or comments, or would like a custom design, contact me, I would love to hear from you!