While perusing a local decorative hardware store yesterday, I came across these beautiful knobs by Providence Artworks, Inc. Part of their Ivory of Tagua Collection, these handcrafted, individual pieces of art come from Palm Trees. Their weight and feel truly mimic ivory, but are sustainable and help to provide an economic base for various rainforest communities. The down side is shipping these beauties from so far away (and the natural resources used therein), but the size and weight help to compensate a bit for fuel usage during shipping.
Also available, from a San Francisco shop committed to sustainability named GreenSage Store, come recycled glass knobs, and lead-free pewter knobs and pulls.
As we continue to look to nature to lead us in both design and sustainability, the natural, organic, and elegantly rustic feel of these forms entice the purist in us all.