Materials glossary / Organic material
Horn
On the label: Horn · Organic material
What it is
Keratin from cattle or buffalo, dark and translucent at the edges; light, warms to the skin, and warps in heat.
Organic materials: Materials made by living things: pearls, amber, coral, shell, jet, bone. Softer than mineral stones and sensitive to acid, heat and perfume.
In the research
302 PubMed papers mention it with jewelry, allergy, eyewear or UV; the three most recent:
- Itch signal processing mechanisms and central sensitization in the spinal dorsal horn of atopic dermatitis model mice · The journal of pain, 2026
- Design of a Doppler backscattering diagnostic for WHAM: The Wisconsin HTS Axisymmetric Mirror · The Review of scientific instruments, 2026
- Neuroimmune-Lipid Crosstalk in Chronic Itch: Molecular Mechanisms from Skin Surface to Cerebral Cortex · Cells, 2026
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on one fabric or one filter says little about the piece in your hand.
Other organic materials
Clasp & Lens describes materials from the public record and does not appraise, grade or test pieces; what a listing states is the supplier's statement. If a piece causes a rash, take it off; a reaction that spreads or blisters is a doctor's question, and sunglasses are no substitute for impact-rated eye protection where that is required.