wood plugs and tunnels

here are a few links to beautifully made organic tunnels and plugs...


Omerica Organic

grenades by omerica organics

Diablo Orangics

thundercats by diablo organics

Care/Allergy notes & disclaimer

Material reaction concerns: Please be aware that wear of natural materials is done at your own risk, and that any material used in contact with the skin has the capability to cause a reaction ranging from minor irritation to serious rash, weeping or worse.

Environmental concerns: Many natural materials are porous and/or may absorb moisture or anything that you put on them. Be aware that there are very few personal hygiene products (shampoos, soaps, cleansers, etc) that are made to be in long term contact with your skin - many of these will cause reactions when in constant contact. Because of this you should be aware of where your jewelry is and what is on it. Here are two situations we have personally seen that are a good example of the kinds of things you need to be aware of: leaving your jewelry out in the open and using spray products such as hair spray or perfume, and washing your hair/face with jewelry in and getting residue on your jewelry. Any of these situations may manifest themselves days or even weeks later as irritation in your piercing as a result of these chemicals in constant contact with sensitive skin.

General care for natural jewelry

Due to the nature of natural body jewelry, all pieces are non-sterile. It is advised that you clean your jewelry per the instructions below for each material before wearing. Natural jewelry and prolonged exposure to sunlight, water or steam do not work well together. Remember to remove your jewelry when bathing or swimming, or any scenario where prolonged sweating is inevitable, and refrain from soaking your jewelry in any liquid. Any of these things could result in possible damage including but not limited to raising of grain, dislodging of inlays, discoloration, warping or breakage. Do not autoclave or ultrasonic any organic material. Some stones may be autoclaved on a case by case basis.

Cleaning natural jewelry

The cleaning process is similar for virtually all natural materials, and exemptions or additional details are noted below by material. Wash gently with a damp cloth and a few drops of natural, chemical free soap. Buff dry with a clean, low lint cloth. If a more stringent cleaning is desired, a very small amount of essential oil such as Tea Tree may be slightly diluted and used. Do be aware that allergies and irritations to essential oils may occur.

Caring for specific materials

Animal materials: Horn, bone, antler, tusk, ivory, tooth and quill.

All animal materials will absorb moisture and/or be effected by temperature changes or humidity to some extent, so be diligent about avoiding showers, pools, etc. When you remove your jewelry, wipe it clean with a soft, damp cloth and dry it. With prolonged wear some of these materials, primarily lighter in color, will start to take on a grey or yellow hue. This is normal, but can be delayed or avoided in some cases with proper care. It is best to store these materials in a cool, dry, dark place.

Plant materials: Hardwoods, Nuts (Tagua, Coconut and others), Grasses (Bamboo).

Woods are more susceptible to moisture and humidity than most other natural materials due to the physical nature of the material itself. The primary purpose of wood grain is to move water from the roots to the upper portions. Because of this, dried wood will always tend to want to absorb moisture and thus prolonged exposure to water or soaking in liquids should be avoided. Being worked and finished properly will definitely help to prevent the absorption but long term wear and use will inevitably lead to the grain rising. This is normal and can be remedied by gently sanding to remove the raised grain with at least 400+ grit sandpaper (and then progressively finer grits if you have them) and finishing by buffing with a soft cloth. Wood should be periodically oiled with jojoba, coconut or a similar natural oil, which will help maintain their moisture content and also give the added benefit of transferring some of that oil's health properties to your skin. Most woods will darken over time with oiling and wear.

Bamboo is a very resilient grass that does not require much care to maintain. Aside from not soaking it in any liquids, all that needs to be done is a periodic wiping off when dirty or oily. Avoid sanding the smooth outer skin of the bamboo, as this wearable surface is not very thick and you may sand right through it to the porous inner walls.

Stone materials: Stone, Obsidian, Amber, Petrified Wood & Coral/Fossilized Ivory/Bone, Jet

Stone and Obsidian (a volcanic glass) require the least care of any natural material. Avoid dropping these materials, as there is a good chance that they will either break themselves, or break whatever they hit. Stone gets slick very easily with sweat or water and can fall out easily - a large stone plug can crack ceramic floor tile. Although you should exercise care in avoiding extreme temperature changes and moisture, stone will fair much better if you forget to take them out to shower, etc. Petrified Wood & Coral are "agatized" and can be treated as any other agate, jasper, obsidian, etc. Some stone can be autoclaved at your discretion, and some artists do enjoy using stone for larger size procedures such as conch, lobe and labret work. Do not autoclave amber, opal, onyx or any stone with obvious veins or fissures.

Amber is a fossilized tree resin, not technically a stone, and care is very different. It should not be introduced to any strong soap, cleansers, hot water or environments, jewelry cleaning solutions, hairspray or perfumes. Storage is best in a soft cloth and any situation in which it could rub against metals or harder materials should be avoided.

Fossilized Ivories such as walrus tusk and mammoth ivory are fragile and particularly sensitive to sudden changes in temperature and humidity. These materials should be stored and cared for in much the same way as amber. Ivories do well with being oiled rather frequently to help maintain a constant moisture content, as drying out can result in cracking along grain lines or fissures that are common these materials.

Precious stone inlays (diamond, cz, topaz, rhodolite, etc) set in silver or gold should be buffed lightly with a soft, lint free cloth to clean