Ivory Forest, known as vegetable ivory, is obtained from the seed of an Amazon palm tree from Ecuador. The seed is harvested by hand every year without causing damage to vegetation; it is cut and supplied on net and is suitable for floors, coverings and curved surfaces. 

Ivory Forest is the nature’s answer to every designer's need: thin as a resin, it can be backlit; it is as light as wood and as strong as stone. It is available in two colors: ‘white’ and ‘toasted’ (colour obtained simply by toasting the seed).

The vegetable ivory is a natural material, renewable, organic and eco-friendly. Seeds’ shades vary from white-light blue to cream-white and light ochre.

The product’s natural origin is remarkable in every single piece.
Veins, nuances, and light streaks make an “alive” product and the manual processing
of each mosaic piece, both in transformation and installation phases, gives to
a warm and sophisticated aspect.

Since mosaic pieces derive from natural seeds, it is possible to notice some small differences in tone and sizing which actually represent quality features, which ensure. Authenticity of the product and its manual processing.

In 2008, by pure chance in Turin, Mattia Malavenda became aware of a material which, though apparently resembling ivory, was surprisingly the inside of a giant seed of a not well specified palm.
Through researches he discovered that ivory-like material come from a very unique plant that lives only in the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador, in South America.  

It is called by the local people tagua or corozo, or more commonly vegetable ivory.

Succeeding to obtain some of this material in its raw state, Mattia Malavenda worked to reshape it and use it initially as surface elements or tiles.

In addition to having an amazing appearance, he noticed that the material possessed a remarkable hardness, durability and by its nature, environment-friendly.

Given these qualities, Mattia Malavenda decided to explore all possibilities in the field of interior design using the vegetable ivory and submitted at the European Intellectual Property Organization (EUIPO, ex OAMI)) the first models of texture with this material.

After the first technical and marketing analysis, he decided, along with a friend, Francesco Marchis, to found the start-up company called Ivory Forest, and to begin the development of all the possible applications in the field of the interior design.

Over the next four years Mattia worked on the project in R&D, product design, interior design, FF&E design, in the creations of new models and he developed four production lines:

- mosaics/curve walls covering;
- flooring and compositions with FSC wood parquet;
- furniture design;
- lighting design.

The product reported immediatly success in the italian market and the start-up Ivory Forest attracted partners and investors.
 
In May 2010, the Ivory Forest was sold to Eprom Group, an italian tiles and parquets manufacture company and till now the product are sold all over the world with the brand name Ivory Dream.

For more info about the vegetable ivory surfaces and furniture Ivory Forest visit:
Ivory Forest - Kickstarter