During your bi-weekly manicure, have you ever stopped and thought, “Gee, I really feel bad about wasting these nail clippings – I should recycle them!” No? Well, those who support the trade of “human ivory,” aka fingernail and toenail clippings, probably have those pangs of guilt.

What can you make out of this human ivory? After visiting the Gunther van Hangens Body Worlds exhibit, artist Rachel Betty Case saw the perfect inspiration to create jewelry and accessories for both men and women. Case’s creations include rings, pendants, cuff links and more, featuring small skeletal-like figures fashioned from nail clippings that are encased in resin.  Lucky for us – just like the teeth jewelry from Polly Van Der Glas, Rachel Case encourages custom orders where you can send your own nail clippings to be crafted into these unique human ivory gifts.

Sold at her Etsy store, Rachel Case’s human ivory creations range from $28 to $60. Enjoy this sampling of her WTF-worthy works! (Note: Special thanks to Kelly Gould for introducing us to Rachel’s creations!)

Photos: Rachel Betty Case