Wear a piece of culture with a natural glow and stand out from the crowd. So strong yet amazingly lightweight.This unique piece of jewellery was produced by the Saraguro community located in the Ecuadorian Andes. Each part of it is carefully and skillfully crafted by a master artisan. People from all over the world travel to Saraguro in order to learn and be inspired by this magnificent bead-art. It is important to mention, that most of the artisans economically support their families thanks to the beadwork. They keep on promoting new and authentic patterns and models constantly.The people from Saraguro are very proud of their Inca ancestry; however, their bead art doesn't come from that heritage. About a century ago, Saraguros (local people from Saraguro) crossed the Andes into the eastern slopes of Ecuador in order to find a new food for their cattle. The small towns located around that region belonged to indigenous groups who wore necklaces made of glass seed beads. These beads were made in the Czech Republic which they acquired through trade up the Amazon River. They exchanged beads for cheese with the Saraguros. But how the Saraguros learned to weave these beads with techniques unknown to other indigenous peoples of South America are still a mystery.All our products are designed and created by our fabulous artisans in Ecuador and will be beautifully presented in our plastic-free recycled packaging.As a company that works together with local communities in Ecuador, we want to support them by promoting their products globally, sharing their art and unique skills. In the future, we want to build a large community of local entrepreneurs and expand our business overseas, sharing the Ecuadorian heritage through fair trade practices.At Coco Cumbi we really value our customers and like to reward loyalty with perks to delight you not only after your first purchase but time and time again!The best method to keep your glass bead necklace clean is simply using a small amount of window cleaner solution.Here, there are some care instructions to always keep your necklace in greatcondition.1. To clean your glass bead necklace, use a soft piece of cloth and damplightly with 50%-50% solution of window cleaner and water. The clothshould be very damp but not dripping.2. Rub gently your necklace starting at one end and until you reach theother.3. Ring out the cloth and wash it with water.4. Repeat this process again and lay your necklace in a soft dry towel.5. Cover your necklace with the towel and rub back and forth for a few timesin order to polish the beads.6. Before to store or wear your necklace, it is recommended to set it out inthe open air for some minutes.7. Do not soak your glass bead necklace.Thanks for visiting!