What is Golden Grass and where does it come from?
Golden Grass, also known as Capim Dourado, is a delicate flowering plant found in the northern state of Tocantins in Brazil and has become more and more popular for use in jewellery and other artisan items over the years.
The reason for its popularity is the naturally golden stem of the plant, which is lightweight, durable and perfectly malleable for creating jewellery and accessories. The stem has a metallic shine to it so compliments gold and natural stone jewellery material perfectly.
Because of the high demand for golden grass, sustainable practices have been put in place by local governments and communities to help to control the harvesting of the plant.
Harvesting is only allowed between September and November, when the stem fully matures and displays the beautiful golden colour it is so well known for, and the roots must remain in place to avoid the plant becoming extinct.
The Artisans
Golden Grass grows in a place called Jalapão, a remote desert-like area in the northern state of Tocantins in Brazil and is one of the most important sources of economy in the area.
For many years, the communities of Jalapão have been weaving golden grass fibres to create practical objects for daily use and have now developed their craft to make the stunning array of jewellery, accessories and home decor items we see today.
One of the reasons we love golden grass so much here at Treasures of Brazil, is the good it does for the communities back home. Many of the artisans creating the gorgeous jewellery and accessories we sell are local women who work from home, which enables them to look after their children whilst creating these wonderful items.
There is even a law which prohibits the sale of the raw golden grass material outside of Jalapão, which helps to keep the income within the community and ensures the sustainability of golden grass artisan crafts.
Why is Golden Grass golden?
This is where we need to get a little bit scientific.
The reason for the golden hues you find in golden grass, is because of the large number of different flavonoid compounds in the stem of the plant.
Flavonoids are simply a type of yellow pigment with a complex chemical structure often found in yellow plants and fruits like lemons or grapefruits.
It is these flavonoids which create the beautiful golden colours in the stem which is then used in jewellery and other craft items.
Golden grass in our jewellery
We love having this material as part of our repertoire of materials, all natural, vegan friendly, Fairtrade and helping small communities of women back home, it’s exactly what our brand is all about.
Our golden grass jewellery collection includes this stunning Abalone Shell bracelet and our stylish Mother of Pearl bracelet.
We also have a range of hard-wearing, hand-crafted placemats in different styles which are a great addition to any table setting.
Check out our full Golden Grass Collection here.
Don’t forget to follow us on Tiktok for lots of behind the scenes videos of how our beautiful products are created.
Until next time,
Daiane xx
