Corozo Buttons - Tropical Palms Which Produce Seeds Which Become Your Buttons

Recently I was followed on twitter by a company called Corozo Buttons and after having a look at their website I invited them to talk to us about buttons. Raul Calderon from Corozo Buttons responded with a fantastic email which piqued my interest. Before Raul answers a few questions I put to him, here is a little background on Corozo Buttons .

Corozo Buttons has been a family owned company since it's humble foundation in the late 1800's when tagua or corozo was first developed for it's application in button manufacturing. 

Originally the company was known as "Tagua Handelsgesellschaft" or "Tagua Trading Company" and established in 1895 in Ecuador. These German manufacturers then took the corozo to Italy where Italian hand crafters carved the nuts into beautiful designs which were then marketed by the Germans. 

The Italians cottoned onto the success of this and eventually they too began harvesting corozo directly from the source and by 1910 they created the "Casa Tagua". Business thrived but in the years leading up to WW1 plastic manufacturing of buttons became prevalent and began to wipe out the trade of corozo. The Tagua Trading Company, which was owned by the Hellwig family, closed down completely, and Casa Tagua, barely scraped through the decades under the leadership of the original owners, the Zanchi family. 

The rebirth of corozo or tagua was not to come until the 1970's, after years of dwindling interest, when the use of natural materials became mainstream again. 

Unbeknownst to them, the two grandchildren from the two original German and Italian tagua families had been in an amorous relationship that united the two tagua companies. They decided to once again take the challenge of exporting tagua. Over time, the company evolved not just from producing tagua, but to creating finished buttons in corozo (tagua). Today the company is located in Panama City with its new name 'Green Ivory International' from which it trades as 'Corozo Buttons'. 

Tagua or corozo is a species of tropical palm of which the seeds, after being processed, are turned into buttons. These palms are found in northwest South America, starting from Northern Peru, and then leading into Ecuador, Columbia and finishing in Panama. Corozo is excellent for button making because it can withstand any mechanized action and can be lasered, cut,  burnt, bleached, dyed, tinted and polished to create breathtaking buttons which can, through these various techniques, can be completely personalised to your taste.

Here are some questions we put to Raul:

Do you only make buttons using tagua?

We deal almost entirely in corozo but we also offer several buttons in coconut.

What would be your favourite buttons for the following: a navy blazer, a white Panamanian resort styled jacket and a pair of casual trousers?

Navy Blazer: Oh man, there's only like a thousand to choose from! Personally, I think it would be something on the simple and elegant side such as E-410 or this model we made for Banana Republic once E-1114. 

Panamanian Resort Styled Jacket: When I heard the words Panamanian resort one thing immediately pops into mind: "COCONUT!". So, I would probably go with one from the coco line -  E-608 would be a great choice.

Casual Trousers: I'd say I would go with a classic like E-810. It looks great on everything.

What is your most prized button?

I think this would have to E-1203. It was made for my sister's wedding to be used as part of the invitation; it held the ribbon that closed the invitations. It was extremely hard to make and required a lot of sweat and tears from our factory staff; it was in a way, their wedding gift to her. It was a meaningful moment. 

Can you please explain to us the basic shapes we find in buttons and the different names people use in the industry?

Our buttons come in all shapes and sizes. We have square, round, triangles, hexagons, flowers etc.They can be concave, convex, hollow and we even make round beads for jewellery. After so many years of making buttons we've come across just about every shape imaginable. As far as the different names, they don't really have anything too out of the ordinary. There is something called a fisheye button which refers to a wedge shaped chunk that is missing (see image below). 

Here are some more images of Corozo Buttons that we thought you might like:

I Just Found My Next Inspiration.... Clarence Carter

When life is getting me down and I feel sorry for myself there is one 'go to' song which evidently cheers me up - tells me that life is a struggle to the death and that in it you find moments of joy - and that song is 'Patches' by Clarence Carter. Today I logged onto You Tube and in finding Clarence, I received a small moment of joy when I found two designs which inspired me -  the pink shawl lapel jacket and the black diamond point bow tie. This time it wasn't Patches which won me over, it was the get up. I find it most amusing that the two songs I know Clarence Carter for are polar opposites in terms of content. Stroken' is about as far removed from Patches as one could expect from the same artist. It is very amusing to listen to one after the other. I suggest you try it.

An Upgrade To The Facebook Page

Perhaps we over-communicate in this new realm of mass media, nevertheless, we invite you to join our Facebook page - where we post content from time to time on work we have finished or are in the process of finishing. See here: FACEBOOK

Regards,

N_.

The Wonderful Bow Tie Charisma And Charm Of Benny Hill!

One Of The Great Gems Of 90's Cinema

Look What The Dandy Portraits Just Posted

The Dandy Portraits - Sean Crowley from Rarebit Productions on Vimeo.

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The Looks Claude Sebastian Are Currently Running With

Claude Sebastian is a proud stockist of Le Noeud Papillon of Sydney. They are located on the corner of Martin Place and Pitt Street, Sydney CBD.

Give The People What They Want!

I had an argument with someone recently who said to me 'but why, why would you bring something in that expensive, who will buy it?' - but there is no substitute for quality and for a point of difference. Or as Kevin Costner once had whispered to him 'If you build it they will come'. And as soon as we began to display these umbrellas today (and how timely given the deluge falling down on Sydney), the shoppers came in droves, drawn in by the Swarovski element crystals reflecting light... 'How much for that umbrella?' they asked. ... See more here

Claudio Villa - Stornelli Amorosi - Music To Fall In Love By

I love Claudio Villa, I always have and I think I always will. It was the song Stornelli Amorosi which I first heard on ABC Radio which was featured in the Big Night soundtrack, which starred Stanley Tucci and Isabella Rossellini, which tipped me over the edge. I remember being carried away on that haunting melodic tune which reminded me of the fullness of summer when everything is ripe and the wind blows off the sea and you feel drunk from the sun and from the wine and caught between reality and dreams.

Shamefully, I don't speak Italian, so even if the words don't have anything to do with what I just described, the good thing is, I live in ignorant bliss. Have a listen, see if it transports you somewhere too.

Just In From Paris From Guerreisms

This is so cool that it would be useless of me to try and describe it.  http://guerreisms.com/tagged/men . Guerre is in Paris judging by the post title. 

I Really Like Bow Ties On Women, Here's One Woman With Spunk Who Can Pull It Off

I think she now is a resident DJ in New York City, but Christina Gubbay is still a Sydney girl at heart and she had enough spunk to pull off this marriage bow tie and I think more and more women ought to be adopting them. 

The Canclini Lusso 2012 Shirting Cloth Book Has Arrived In Sydney!

What a delight! It arrived today and it has been re-ordered and some new fabrics have appeared, but what is more, there is a new section called 'Kitzbuhel' which contains a shirting cloth made of 85% cotton and 15% cashmere. Very different and worthy of a longer glance once I get off this blog today. We recommend our existing Lusso shirting customers come past and take a look. 

Flannel Smells Like Your Grandpa!

The cream flannel I ordered from A Suitable Wardrobe arrived today via the courier. With it I ordered some Albert Thurston braces, both cream, to match the flannel, and baby blue (which looks like lilac in my photos - it's the photographer, not the camera's fault).

When I opened the bag containing the flannel a smell came off the wool which reminded me of old people, especially my grandparents. I think flannel must have been much more prevalent back then. The smell was musty and aged, a wonderful smell, like when you get caught in a summer shower wearing a suit and the woolly smell permeates the air instantaneously. Straight out of the bag I had a flood of memories. And why? My guess is the smell is there because flannel is treated by soaking it in soapy water and then squeezing it through two rollers, one going at a different speed to the other, which then mats the hairs of the wool and stretches them out under pressure. 

As for the braces, if you ask me, A Suitable Wardrobe  has the nicest selection of Albert Thurston braces outside of Albert Thurston's own website.

Introducing The Lucky Dip Bow Tie!

When I was a child they used to have lucky dips in most toy shops and newsagents. It was a lot of fun, especially when the lucky dip prizes were wrapped so well. It meant that even if what was inside was terrible, you didn't care, because it was the fun of not knowing and of having a surprise. Well, we don't make terrible products here at Le Noeud Papillon, but we do want you to enjoy the feeling of a surprise. So, we have added a lucky dip bow to the shopping cart at almost half the price of a normal bow. Of course, our lucky dips are not the $2 types, but we promise you that it will be a bow that will have been on the website or the blog. And please, if you feel up to it, tell us a little about yourself when you purchase the bow so we can cater the bow to your taste. www.lnpties.com 

For Those That Care About The Minute Detail - Pulling Apart A Ralph Lauren Purple Label By Rafael Caruso

Jeffery from Tutto Fato Mano - now called Made By Hand - The Great Sartorial Debate - has been fortunate enough to receive a Purple Label Ralph Lauren jacket made by the workroom of Rafael Caruso, to be used for dissection and analysis of production methods. A very interesting article. Take a look at his unravelling:

This One Sent In From A New Friend Who Believes That Bow Ties Are Indeed Cool

Australian Cricket Star Brett Lee In LNP B Diamond

See it here on News.Com.Au

Australian Cricket Star Brett Lee wears Le Noeud Papillon of Sydney's B.Diamond

And Who Wore Bows Yesterday At The Oscars?

This link was sent to us via our web partner in the United States - TIE DEALS . Tie Deals is a California based website which offers a range of bow ties from leading brands around the globe.

It seems black satin silk bow ties are the 'soup du jour'.

Whilst I don't wish to insult anyone, I think the only one who got it right is Colin Firth, who understands proportions,  followed by Jean Dujardin - which is a strange name 'John Of The Garden' - who got it mostly right except for the fact that on a wing tip collar you should not wear an adjustable bow tie because the break in the silk is noticeable. Add to this the fact that his bow looks slightly awkward because the centre knot is too tight because of the weight of the silk used in making the bow and this creates a triangular flair on the bow at either end.

" It's a fact that bow ties made quite the statement on the 2012 Academy Awards red carpet! " 

Here is the link to Hollwood Wire that they wanted us to know about:

http://www.hollywire.com/2012/02/2012-oscars-boys-bow-ties

The Thing About Fashion...

This post popped up on my Facebook feed. It was nice to see Angelo Flaccavento back in a bow tie, however, notice that he is wearing a three button jacket with a high notched lapel. I found this rather amusing because just last night an acquaintance asked me for some advice. He said 'Tell me, is this suit okay to keep? It is fairly old but I paid a lot of money for it and I don't want to throw it out'. To which I replied 'This black three button high notched lapel is so out of date that you may as well store it until it comes back into fashion in a retrospective sense'. And then bloody Angelo pulls one out and wears it in this photo, which then begs the question 'Well, is it coming back in again?'.

The trouble with fashion is it is so often a process of picking old things up and making them new again. Whilst I hated and always hated the three button high notched lapel suit, I can understand why it might be looked at again because every other avenue of suiting has been explored in the last three years and it is possibly the final frontier... But I beg of you, people out there, please, let us not return to the three button high notch. I couldn't bear it to tow the party line.

Looks I Saw On Guerreisms That I Like

See for yourself:  http://guerreisms.com/tagged/men

Embracing Change - The Vedic Way

For all those of you who meditate, Limor Babai from Double Bay Meditation Centre has written a small article for meditators and non meditators on how to cope with change.

Read it here:

http://doublebaymeditation.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/embracing-change.html

A Meditator Asks:

I have heard you say that I should embrace change.   How can I overcome my fear of change and embrace change in my life?

Evolution means progressive change.  There is no progress in life without change.

Fear of change develops from a lack of awareness of that deep, inner quiet, non-changing aspect of consciousness that we refer to as "Being" or "Pure Consciousness" - the underlying or transcendental aspect of our consciousness.

Being is the foundation of consciousness.  Without a foundation, instability is guaranteed and from that fear develops.

When a change occurs and we have insufficient adaptation energy to adapt to that change then we 
mal-adapt and our body begins to try to fight or flee from the change.  The fight or-flight/stress reaction is a well-known reflex where the nervous system mobilizes a set of physiological responses to a demand/change in environment when it is unable to adapt to the demand marked by an increase in the stress chemicals plasma cortisol and arterial blood lactate, increases in blood pressure, heart rate, blood flow to the muscles and oxygen consumption. This leads to the accumulation of stress in the body.

How can we avoid having this stress reaction in response to a demand or change of expectations?

The most effective course of action is to stabilize our own state of consciousness; to make our own capability, adaptability, creativity, and happiness non-variable.  A non-variable, high state of consciousness is the only basis on which we can embrace progressive change in our life and we can consistently meet the demands in our lives without unconsciously resisting the process of evolution and thereby accumulating stress.

We need to simply sit twice a day for 20 minutes and practise the technique that we have been instructed in.

Our technique of meditation is designed to deliver that deep inner quietness to the mind in meditation, and over time with consistent regular practise allows us to experience this with our eyes open - first for a little while and then as time goes on more and more until it becomes a permanent, 24 hour experience - "Being" becomes well established in our awareness.

As our state of consciousness grows and we begin to stabilize that state of Being in our awareness we begin more and more to have adaptive responses to change and our desires become more easily fulfilled.  This is the way to live a blissful life.

We can make a decision to stop resisting change and start embracing it by bringing more of that deep, inner quiet, non changing, transcendental aspect of consciousness into our awareness.

If you have lapsed with your practice, you can simply sit and practise your technique again - it will come back to you naturally.  Join Group Meditation Meetings - these provide the opportunity to strengthen your practice of meditation through a review of technique, and to broaden and deepen your personal experiences and results through more advanced understanding.  Lapsed meditators find this an ideal way to get refreshed.  Come and ask questions about your experiences.

With love,
Limor 

Mugshots From The NSW Police In The 1920's

These photos were found by Carlos Oppenheimer on The Daily Mail website in the UK. Read the article here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2103393/Womens-mug-shots-1920s-Australia.html

I would venture to say that these days petty female criminals in Australia are somewhat more attractive than this bunch (save Fay Watson at the bottom who was done for cocaine possession on Crown Street....  Little minx..... Nothing has changed, still plenty of Fay Watsons on Crown Street on any given Friday night).

Alma Smith, 34, performed an illegal abortion

Clara Randall told police that her jewellery had been stolen from her  Bondi flat and put in an insurance claim, but she stole it herself. She's wearing 'Vintage' available from the Bondi flea markets on Sundays...

This Belle Of The Ball, Dorothy Mort, 32, yes, you heard me, 32, killed her Dr lover after he tried to end the romance. I wonder what part of it was 'romance'.

This vixen, Fay Watson, was done for a bag of rack on Crown Street in Surry Hills. Nothing has changed.... You can still find Fay Watsons on the same shiiit every Friday night...