Corozo
Corozo (also known as ‘Tagua’ or ‘Vegetable Ivory’) is a material obtained from the fruits of the palm tree Phytelephas Macrocarpa which grows in South America. It is mainly used for the manufacture of buttons for jackets, trousers, vests, shirts, coats and raincoats.
An inexperienced buyer can confuse a corozo button with a wooden one, since such buttons usually have a specific pattern with wavy lines that resemble wood texture. In some cases, this pattern is very faint or visible only at a certain angle and under certain lighting. In addition, the texture here actually is not exactly the same as that of wood — lines and circles can be arranged more randomly. Buttons made of corozo are usually a symbol of premium products, as they cost more than plastic, but slightly cheaper than horn.
