Cowries 'soft mantles are on the outside. These protect the shells and give them their glossy porcelain-like outer shells. The relatively large and cheap tiger cowrie (Cypraea tigris) is often used as a carving material.
由於寶螺軟軟的外套膜可將整個貝殼包住，所以外殼才會像瓷器一般光澤滑溜；較大型而廉價的黑星寶螺，經常被拿來作為雕刻工藝的材料。