Tortoiseshell material

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Tortoiseshell is a material that was widely used in the 1960s and 70s to make things from combs, to sunglasses, to guitar picks. However, in the late 70s the United Nations banned all trade of tortoiseshell worldwide. Tortiseshell mainly comes from the hawksbill turtle, an endangered species.

Contents 1 Uses 2 Controversy 3 Replacements 4 References

[edit] Uses

Tortoiseshell was used in a large variety of household items due to its beautiful appearance and durability. It was also used in guitar picks because it could be easily shaped, had excellent bending properties, and amazing durability (some tortoiseshell picks could be used for years).

Pique work, jewelry made from tortoiseshell inlaid with precious metals in patterns or pictures, was made during the Victorian Era and was highly prized.

[edit] Controversy

In Japan, the use of tortoiseshell (or "bekko") is a large part of their culture and is irreplaceable. The UN ban on the trade and importation tortoiseshell has put many of those who work with it in a precarious position, since stores of tortoiseshell are running extremely low, and no more can be imported. Very soon, many people will be out of business because there is no more tortoiseshell for their trade. Japan has tried to win the right to import a small amount of tortoiseshell per year (all of which actually would come from stockpiles in other parts of the world such as Cuba and Indonesia), but so far, nothing has been done.[1]

[edit] Replacements

There have been a number of faux-tortoiseshell materials made since the 1970s, most of which mimic the appearance of tortoiseshell. Tortex is a material that was created to replace tortoiseshell guitar picks and has been widely accepted as a suitable substitute.

[edit] References

• Strieker, Gary (April 10, 2001). CNN.com - Sci-Tech (HTML). Tortoiseshell Ban Threatens Japanese Tradition. Retrieved on 2006-06-28.