It is a well-known fact that orange peels make great accessories. Okay so maybe it’s not necessarily “well-known” but it should be!

While on a recent stroll through Hampden, I popped into Earth Alley – a stylish boutique on Elm Avenue that sells eco-friendly and fair trade gifts. I was surprised when shop owner Eva Khoury suggested that I smell one of the necklaces she had for sale. I obliged and unexpectedly inhaled the sweet scent of citrus. “Its orange peel jewelry,” she said.

The tradition of orange peel jewelry originated in South America. Typically, the peels are dehydrated, dyed, and shaped into funky and playful necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and sometimes key chains. Do a little web browsing and you’ll find a healthy handful of examples, one of which is Joca Orange – a Colombian group that collects the peels from juice vendors and restaurants, and then distributes them to local artisans. They’re work is available for purchase online.

Of course, you can make your own orange peel jewelry. First, remove peels from the orange with a paring knife, scrape away excess pith with a butter knife, cut them into small strips and place them face down on a cutting board. After a few days, the moisture will evaporate. It’s at that point when you can begin to experiment with manipulating the peels into unusual shapes, like spirals, twists, or whatever you can imagine. If you want to try your hand at dyeing the peels, that will have to be done prior to cutting and drying.

Happy peeling!

Image courtesy of One World Projects.