Kukudushi creates locally made, sustainable jewelry that lets you follow real animals with a simple tap of your phone.
Jewelry with a purpose, designed to connect you to the ocean and help protect it.
We create our products using upcycled materials and low-impact production methods.
Every Kukudushi is built to last for you and for the ocean.
Our team consists of local Caribbean artisans trained as Kukudushi Maestros to create each unique piece of jewelry.
When you choose Kukudushi, you support real people and the community behind every product.
With every purchase, you support marine conservation across the Caribbean.
From coral restoration to plastic recycling – tracking your animal connects you directly to the ecosystem you’re helping to protect.
While hiking across the beautiful island of Curaçao with my wife, we often came across small snails. They were usually stuck to a rock or the trunk of a tree. We discovered that these were charming little snails found only on Curaçao. They are commonly known as Kokolishi di Kalakuna (turkey shell).
I was facinated by these unique little creatures. Immediately after birth, they begin constructing their intricate and delicate shells, which serve as a lifelong protection against environmental influences. When they reach adulthood, the construction ends with an elegant opening – an architectural marvel.
These snails possess a remarkable ability: they can seal themselves off from the outside world, adhering to a rock or tree. A thin membrane covers the opening of their shell, providing protection.
This allows them to regulate their moisture levels and survive in isolation for up to two years, waiting for better times, such as a refreshing rain shower.
Many of the snail shells found on the ground are abandoned. The snail likely died of old age, leaving behind its empty, fascinating shell as a small fossil. I began collecting some of these abandoned shells, thinking they could be crafted into a beautiful pendant.
After a year and a half of experimenting and refining, I succeeded in creating the Kukudushi from the abandoned Kokolishi di Kalakuna. It is an elegant piece of jewelry with a magical functionality. In the fall of 2021, Kukudushi Korsou was founded – purpose driven with natural products and local employees.
-Patrick Gruijters (Founder)
Giving back to the island that inspires us is a core part of our mission.
Every Kukudushi product contributes directly to organizations that protect nature, empower the community, and make Curaçao a better place for both people and marine life.
We proudly support:
Willifood – Support for vulnerable communities by providing meals
Café Magic – Community-driven projects empowering people on the island
Your purchase doesn’t just help you follow a real animal, it creates real impact across Curaçao.
To create unique, handcrafted jewelry from Carribean’s natural resources, integrating NFC technology to adopt and track real animals via GPS.
We are committed to the protection of animal life and their natural habitat. We empower locals with barriers to employment and help them to develop skills and independence.
We empower people and animals alike through our own endeavours and the active contribution by donating and engaging in strategic partnerships with NGOs.
To be a global example in sustainability, innovation and social entrepreneurship by creating connections between people, animals and the environment through handcrafted, technology-enhanced jewelry.
All our products are handmade by local people from Curaçao. The Kukudushi in particular is an especially intricate process:
Kokolishi di Kalakuna shells are collected from the deep landscapes of Curaçao, where they are carefully sanded, opened, and cleaned to form the empty casing our maestros work with. From here, the transformation begins.
Crafting a Kukudushi is a delicate and demanding process that takes around 72 hours for a single piece. Every cut, polish, and finishing touch is done by hand with precision and patience. Each maestro leaves a small, personal signature on the back of the piece – a mark that tells you exactly who created your Kukudushi.
When you hold a Kukudushi, you’re holding more than a piece of jewelry. You’re holding the craftsmanship, dedication, and island spirit of the artisan who shaped it, turning it into something uniquely yours.
We’ve forged meaningful partnerships with local NGOs and charities, making a genuine impact to people and planet. One of our key partners is Green Phenix who collect plastic waste and transform it into high quality resources that the local community can use to create products. A great example is our Kukudushi Maestro Luna pendant, that features recycles plastic in the form of our moon that even lights up when it is tapped to your phone!
Another of our key partners is the Branch Coral Foundation, that strives to preserve and expand the coral of the Carribean and beyond.
Our commitment to uplifting communities is set to expand even further in the near future. Half of our workforce experienced a distance to the labour market, a gap that we helped bridge. We are developing a programme that enables people with intellectual disabilities to participate in the product process of our jewelry.
At Kukudushi we care about Planet and People over Profit.
