Collection No. 1 – A Tribute to the Mujer Cimarrona and Tagua

For our first collection, we’ve created a campaign in tribute to the mujer cimarrona—the Afro-Ecuadorian woman who walks with pride, memory, and dignity.

The mujer cimarrona is a symbol of resistance and freedom. Her story is deeply intertwined with the struggle of Afro-descendant communities against slavery and oppression between the 17th and 19th centuries.

The term cimarrón referred to enslaved people who escaped to remote areas—forests, rivers, and mountains—where they founded free communities known as palenques or quilombos. Within these spaces of freedom, mujeres cimarronas not only resisted; they led, nurtured, and preserved their culture. They were organizers, keepers of ancestral knowledge, midwives, healers, teachers, and guardians of collective memory. Through their songs, their hands, and their strength, they kept African traditions alive—oral storytelling, the marimba, cuisine, and spirituality—upholding the social fabric of entire communities.

Despite structural racism and sexism, mujeres cimarronas defied imposed limits and built spaces of power, freedom, and autonomy.

Today, their legacy endures. Afro-Ecuadorian and feminist movements honor their figure as a symbol of dignity, historical memory, and social justice. In Afro-descendant communities across Esmeraldas, their heritage lives on through arrullos (lullabies), alabados (chants), traditional festivals, and the leadership of women who continue to honor their history.

At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, tagua—also known as vegetable ivory—was one of Ecuador’s most valuable export products along the coast. Collected in its natural state, dried, and transformed into discs or buttons, it traveled from our rivers to the rest of the world.

Companies such as Casa Tagua, Dumarest Brothers, and Servat led this trade. With docks, boats, and logistical networks, they transported tagua from rural and river regions to export ports. In 1909, Dumarest Brothers and Servat ranked among the most important companies in the sector, just behind Casa Tagua, with a strong economic presence in Esmeraldas.

Amid this commercial history, the Río Santiago–Cayapas Commune remained a free territory—its Afro-descendant population was never enslaved. One of Casa Tagua’s button factories operated there, leaving a lasting mark on the region’s economic and cultural memory.

With the outbreak of World War II and the rise of plastic as a substitute for vegetable ivory, the tagua industry suffered a severe blow. Trade routes were disrupted, and international demand plummeted.

Today, Esmeraldas remains a tagua territory. The province produces around 30,000 tons annually, and roughly 10,000 people depend on this activity for their livelihood. Local artisans transform the seeds into unique pieces—jewelry, ornaments, and decorative objects that embody the identity of their people.

However, faced with competition from synthetic materials and logistical challenges, the current challenge lies in adding value, innovating in design, and strengthening the local production chain to regain its presence in the market.

As a brand, our dream is that every tagua creation tells a story:
the story of the land where it grew,
the hands that shaped it,
and the memory that sustains us.

We want the world—and our own country—to see in these accessories not only beauty, but a luxury with roots: a luxury that breathes rainforest, history, and freedom. With each piece, we honor the cimarrona spirit of resistance and elevate Ecuador’s name as the guardian and ambassador of the planet’s most noble form of vegetable ivory.

Creative Direction and Photography: Katherine Guerrero | Styling: Andrea Pilatuña | Model: Yenny Padilla | Hair: Treasure Braids / Danely Aguas | Makeup: Romina Loaiza