Sustainable Shopping Guide - Jewelry & Accessories
Jewelry & Accessories | Shoes | Women’s Clothing | Men’s Clothing | Kid’s Clothing | Home & Furniture
Featured Brands
PARKER CLAY
Soko
Kayu
Warby Parker
31 Bits
California-based jewelry line that combines a cool west coast aesthetic with handmade Ugandan beads. A life-changing trip to Uganda inspired 31 Bits' founders to create a line dedicating to changing the lives of women.
Abaca
Handwoven bags, baskets and textiles that showcase the intricate handiwork of women in Africa, East Asia, India, to name a few. The line combines the best of traditional arts with a modern aesthetic, and a portion of all proceeds help break the cycle of poverty for Filipino children.
Angela Roi
Polished women's handbags in vibrant colors using premium vegan leather. Angela Roi also employs sweatshop-free production methods while supporting artisans and abused animals.
www.angelaroi.com
Berg + Betts
This line of luxury watches takes a holistic approach to sustainability and manufacturing. The watch pieces are made at a Sedex approved facility in Hong Kong and then assembled by the Berg and Betts team in Canada, and the bands are made from surplus leather. Read Dominique’s review here.
By Boe
Simple designs that are the epitome of modern, understated glamour. Made in NYC, By Boe is one of my favorite jewelry lines.
Cambridge Satchel Company
Leather handbags handmade in the UK that can be personalized, monogrammed, or otherwise customized in a variety of pretty colors.
www.cambridgesatchel.com
David Aubrey
Unique, colorful jewelry made in the USA by skilled artisans, keeping the art of jewelry design alive in Jersey City. David Aubrey uses materials like handmade glass beads and semi precious gems.
Ettika
Bohemian, festival-ready jewelry made in the USA. Ettika specializes in stackable necklaces, chokers, and rings - perfect for a layered look.
Faire Collection
Women's jewelry made from cool materials like Amazonian seeds, bullhorn, chia seed and acai seeds. By meeting local artisans where they produce, sourcing materials locally, and paying good wages, Fair Collection has brought about sustainable change to communities around the world.
Global Goods Partners
Housewares, kid’s goods, bags, scarves and jewelry with a committed to fair trade practices and economic development both in the US and abroad. Check out their gorgeous handbags, made with hand-loomed ikat and leather.
www.globalgoodspartners.org
Indego Africa
Indego Africa is all about empowerment through education, which is why this company re-invests in the women that create their colorful accessories. The result of their efforts are female entrepreneurs in Africa, empowered and in charge of their own financial destiny. Delicately handwoven baskets in bold colors and cool geometric jewelry made of unique materials are standouts among their collections.
Jess Hannah
This beautifully photographed line of delicate treasures is completely handmade in Downtown LA and totally feminine. All diamonds are conflict-free and ethically sourced, making this an amazing place to to shop for truly special gifts. Inspired by her grandmother’s vintage jewelry collection, there’s something timeless about Jess’s pretty pieces.
Jimani
Women who start their own stable, successful businesses reinvest 90% of their income in their families, while men reinvest only 30-40%. This is why Jimani employes women in Kenya at good wages and invests in their success as entrepreneurs. The pieces have a contemporary feel with global twist, perfect for a casual night out or to put the finishing touch on your office looks.
Kayu
Kayu is all about empowering women. From paying fair wages to women in impoverished Asian communities to training women at the YMCA in San Francisco to do custom monogramming, Kayu helps create good jobs both abroad and at home. Their structured clutches range from casual and cute to show-stopping, while their totes are perfect for summer adventures and fall farmer’s market trips.
Kakaw Designs
Mari, the founder of Kakaw Designs, grew up in Guatemala with her mother, a traditional textile artist. Wanting to highlight the beauty of Guatemalan handicrafts while initiating real, lasting change, Mari’s line offers women good wages and the opportunity to push boundaries of textile design. Everything they make is 100% handmade. Check out their exquisite scarves and wraps, naturally dyed and expertly woven.
Krochet Kids
When a group of snowboarders learned how to crochet and became committed to global change, Krochet Kids was born. Krochet Kids offers great, ethical choices for women, men and kids, so everyone on your gift list is covered. Their simple, cool aesthetic perfectly showcases the amazing fabrics they feature on their weekend totes and backpacks, too. Rather than simply employing craftsmen at fair wages, they are committed to bringing people out of poverty around the world permanently with stable economic opportunity.
Lemlem
If you love textiles, Lemlem’s scarves, wraps and bags will provide satisfaction. A contemporary look is combined with handcrafts like weaving, embroidery and and crochet for a line that feels and looks up to date while maintaining that special look and feel that only something handmade (and at fair wages) can provide. Five percent of all sales go towards The Liya Kebede Foundation, which provides important maternal care to impoverished women around the world.
www.lemlem.com
Manos Zapotecas
Fair trade is at the heart of the Manos Zapotecas mission, which founder Shelly Tennyson created after volunteering in a Zapotec village in Oaxaca, Mexico. She realized that these superior artists with beautiful handcrafted treasures were unable to get living wages in the traditional marketplace. These regionally designed totes, bags and clutches feature a uniquely southwestern look combined with modern styling.
Nisolo
Minimalist and cool, these hammered and delicate pieces are perfect for girls with a love of simplicity and effortless perfection. Nisolo is committed to transparency, fair wages and safe working conditions. In fact, they’ve been able to increase the wages of their producers by over 300%, dramatically improving the communities they work in.
www.nisolo.com
Pachacuti
There’s nothing more classic than a Panama hat, and these are the best-made and best-designed versions of the handwoven staple. All materials are sourced in an eco-friendly way, all labor is fair-trade, and the craftsmanship is specialized and exquisite. The gentleman’s designs are especially charming with their old-world style and luxurious touches.
Soko
With collections that manage to be both bold and minimal, Soko uses luxurious materials and geometric accents to create a striking ethical jewelry line. They’ve disrupted the traditional supply chain to empower female artisans from around the world. The result is a dramatically increased income for producers and much stronger, safer, healthier communities.
Shinola
Shinola is reviving the art of the handcrafted timepiece in downtown Detroit. Committed to bring American manufacturing back to life and making quality pieces that last, this innovative company makes phenomenal leather goods and bicycles as well. The style captures American heritage to a T, meaning everything is timeless but totally contemporary.
Warby Parker
It’s not easy to find ethical eyewear, but Warby Parker manages to do so stylishly. By supporting nonprofits that provide vision correction around the world, Warby Parker is able to make an impact on the lives of people needing important eye care. For every pair purchased, one is distributed to someone in need.