Sustainable Fashion

An all-inclusive term for the industry as a whole and its stakeholders who are invested in building a better future through better production cycles rooted in equality, social justice, animal welfare and carbon neutrality. Sustainable fashion can also be seen as a movement that aims to bring a cultural shift in the way we buy, wear and discard clothes.

Ethical Fashion

A people centred approach, ethical fashion is all about creating without harming living beings. In simpler words, it benefits all of the people that are involved in the supply chain from the cotton plantation workers to the retail sellers. The fashion industry is notorious for having underpaid laborers working in unsafe working conditions. Ethical fashion asks real questions like – “Who made my clothes? And is that person getting paid their dues?”

Source: Pinterest @anildhondalay

Fair Trade Fashion 

A sister-concern of ethical fashion, fair trade deals more with the business side of fashion than the people side. In the free market, it’s always the survival of the fittest policy that has led to new innovations and improvement in the lives of millions. But this has also led to deterioration of the people in the supply chain. Thus, fair trade fashion dictates the right manufacturing and operational practices, based on ethical standards set by international trade bodies. Adhering to these practices gives the brand a fair- trade certification after meeting the required parameters.

Slow Fashion

A relatively new term adopted by environmentally conscious fashionistas to counter the ever-rising fever of fast fashion, slow fashion is a movement aimed towards hitting the brakes on excessive production. Stopping the compulsive buying habits and preventing piles of clothes from ending up in the landfills of developing and underdeveloped nations is the raison de etre of slow fashion. It returns focus on the quality of production rather than a quick turnaround. Thus, making the consumer invest in well-made and long-lasting clothes. It is the one fashion movement that demands efforts from both the brand, and consumer side.

Whether it is a personal choice or preference, we hope you’re as ready to make the switch from conventional fashion to more conscious, sustainable garments. Happy shopping!

Taking their design powers beyond fashion into unchartered waters, artists, creators and brands alike are going gaga over unconventional materials that speak jewelry in more ways than one. From burnt jet to vintage wood, industrial materials to ethereal ceramic, new-age jewelry is coming into its own with an experimental edge.

Teatro Tetra Pak

One of the core components of carbon-neutral jewelry, who knew that this aseptic packaging material could be used to create a symphony of terrazzo-like beauty! Since Tetra Pak requires extensive recycling facilities, certain jewelry brands are translating this universal material into wearable fine jewelry by recycling it in the form of inserts or composites contrasted against metals like silver or gold.

Even though used Tetra Pak itself is technically a waste product and is supposed to be available for free or cheap, a considerable amount of time and resources are required in its extraction process. Because of the big investment size, the designed pieces often cost as much as precious metals.

Still, ambitious designers aren’t shying away from the modern simplicity and international aesthetic inherent to this neo material whose rise coincides with a fledgling interest in conscious techniques and trends.

Echoing Eco

Taking a cue from the reigning buzzword of the last few years, sustainable jewelry is on the rise in the form of eco-gold as well as fair mined silver. Several designers are now looking at sourcing precious metals inherent to jewelry production using non-toxic chemicals and harvested rainwater. Artisanal mining which has also seen a micro-boom as the more appealing option to destructive mining has led to the discovery of green-gold…more a process than material that is disrupting the old world cycles of gold processing and production for jewelry.

Eco-gold and other precious metals are green-lit by their commitment to the needs of future generations. In some cases, it goes like this: recycled gold, refined from old jewelry or scrap industrial items ranging from computer chips to floor shavings is melted into bars which are then bought by jewellers to work with. A roundabout way of obtaining gold, eco-gold is getting picked by jewel smiths as the answer to looking cute without causing trouble.

Sculptural Silhouettes


In case you haven’t noticed, playful yet sophisticated high-art ceramic jewelry has taken over Instagram, global runways and the imagination of jewelry designers worldwide. Inspired from abstractions in nature, imperfect silhouettes and sculptural forms are making a big comeback to create a coda of personality pieces that go beyond traditional jewelsmithing. Featuring organic curves that settle symbiotically on the wearer’s ear, neck, arms or even unconventional locations such as feet, knees or the waist, sculptural ceramic jewelry is taking a bold stride over the planet playful. 
Think fluid proportions in a solid, fragile material that somehow looks kinetic, alive and incredibly soft. From bold and joyful modern pieces to classical greek forms and pop, something feels inherently magical about sculptural ceramic with its pendulum-esque shapes and artistic inquiry into material and mould. At once classic yet substantial, this material has a sense of the artful about it that makes it pair universally well.

Whether it’s a digital seminar, a virtual date or a socially distanced soiree, the artistic romance of sculptural ceramic jewelry lends a sense of avant-garde curiosity to the ensemble.

Source – Pinterest @Strawberry cake

Vying for Vintage

In an industry so often infatuated with newness, it’s refreshing to acquaint oneself with something strikingly ye olde. A star material from the early days of industrial alchemy, vintage bakelite is a proto-plastic from the 1930s with a catch —it cannot be melted or recycled; only upcycled. Completely phased out a while ago, this plastic compound was synthetically manufactured using methanal and phenol to which fillers and pigments were added for colour and opacity.

As a relic of the past, it has now gained cult status. Since vintage bakelite cannot be melted or recycled, it has slowly become a collector’s item with designers looking to work with the material within fine jewelry. Often, it is mined from dominoes, old playing card sets, figurines and mundane objects of daily use. Only now, it is often embedded with heirloom gemstones, recycled gold, and rare wood for an elegant approach to sustainability.

What makes vintage bakelite so interesting is the myth behind it. Before its 1907 invention, all materials on earth were differentiated into three ‘kingdoms’ — animal, vegetable or mineral. However, the invention of vintage bakelite changed that and allowed for the creation of a 4th kingdom as before its genesis, no other completely man-made synthetic material had been successfully created.

The most important caveat for creating high jewelry from harvested bakelite is to ensure that the designs and offerings do not look DIY. A fine finish featuring luxurious details and a thought-provoking design is central to the material’s high-society revival. Additionally, this is also transforming an unwanted or discarded former object into something highly desirable while also minimizing waste, thereby taking sustainability up a notch.

Source: Pinterest @Kim Dunham

Trashy Treasures

Creating an underlying connection between the wearer and jewelry from an eco-conscious lens, creatives and designers are mining ocean trash in the form of recycled plastic to create meaningful, wearable art. By looking at waste objects from the perspective of jewelry, useless trash is being employed to create intimate pieces that may eventually become indispensable to the wearer. Through an environment and emotional perspective, more and more designers are choosing to make a statement that often reflects on the value found in the jewelry’s crafted details.

More often than not, a category truth when it comes to eco-friendly or sustainable materials, jewelry aligning itself to these niche values is a direct reflection of its owner more than creator. But emotive art apart, a refreshing take on creative and coveted ways of recycling materials, objects and concepts that might have otherwise never seen the light of day, into transformative pieces of high jewelry is making itself heard. From terrible “trash” to tiny treasures, conceptual jewelry made from ocean plastic can inspire conversation, awareness as well as other artists to articulate an alternative to consumption that’s driven by sustainable chic.

Even though the raw material itself comes with a sense of novelty and newness, the challenge and excitement come from creating wearable as well as desirable jewelry by transforming waste into something modern and luxurious.

Reigning in Resin

Pop, playful and oozing with a child-like quality that borders on the abstract, resin is a versatile material that’s making its mark with oversized toy-jewel rings, melty faces, oblong flowers and a supremely DIY aesthetic. Easy to layer, stack and flaunt, resin and its colourful coda are making summer shine with a smattering of lively 90s reminders. In the fine jewelry space, solid crystal rings are being paired with gold and silver in addition to being hand-carved and topped with delicate jewels. Honouring nostalgia via viral, avant-garde designs, the fashion forecast is looking for resin as a sustainable alternative that can last a lifetime.

Source: Pinterest @Flowerresinart

Enlivening Ebony


Defined by its smooth finish and deep colour, black ebony is one of the most expensive woods on earth. Rare and exquisite, no two pieces of ebony blackwood are ever alike owing to the natural diversity required for this heartwood to thrive. Almost endangered, the aged and finely-textured material has captured the imagination of new-age creatives due to its sleek and glossy finish as well as sculptural possibilities.

In the realm of fine jewelry, ebony is finding its foothold as a contrasting counterpoint to precious metals. Curated with the raw drama of natural forms, this smouldering wood is being reconfigured into modern jewelry with rose gold details, silver streaks or bejewelled elements for making an opulent style statement.

Playing with plural possibilities, Ebony’s deep warmth and natural beauty are showing themselves on mood boards via sublime patterning, signature juxtapositions and even classical diamond cuts. Touching luxury with a hint of whimsy, ebony is channelling its story in the heart of a design revival that solidly believes in its unusual and unreplicable appeal.

Source: Pinterest @1884 Collection

If an issue could be person of the year, sustainability would be the prima donna of our times. As the buzzword that launched a thousand think pieces, just what is sustainability really? And what does it say about a world that wants to be changed by it…Let’s dive in headfirst, shall we?

Put simply, sustainable fashion is all about extending the lifespan of your wardrobe. Yet, sustainability is more often than not defined by something that it isn’t – linear, harmful, wasteful and consumerist. Still, there are a number of ways that encapsulate what being sustainably fashionable really means – from ethical sourcing to clean raw materials, to fair labour to thrifting. Ultimately, all of these strategies converge at a point where the sartorial temperament meets environmental betterment.

Slay it Slowly: Some Tips

With the pandemic unleashing the kindness economy, there’s a lot to think about. When it comes to being a responsible shopper, it isn’t really as hard as you might think to curate a sustainable wardrobe.

• An interesting rule of thumb is Livia Firth’s #30Wears rule. Question your purchase and ask if what you’re getting will last 30 wears or beyond.
• When making a special purchase, you want to make sure you are buying from a brand that aligns with your values.
• Choosing statement pieces that are multi-occasion and can be styled in different ways, rather than chasing trends is another great way to start.
• Introduce a responsibility edit, based on materials, stance, process and final impact of the brands or items of your choosing.
• Champion transparency. Choose brands that record and recognise their product impact.
• Vintage has a huge role to play in making fashion more sustainable because unlike new items leaving a substantial carbon footprint attached to manufacturing, the amount of new energy needed to produce vintage pieces is zero.
• Have a one-in, one-out policy which means that every time you buy something make sure that you are giving up and donating another item.
• Look after your pieces properly. This will allow you to replace things less often.
• Only buy items that you know are going to work for you all year round.
• Invest in jewelry cleaning tools or clothing maintenance tools such as fabric shavers and steam irons to improve the longevity of your buys.
• Learn how to repair your clothes and accessories – or pay local professionals to do the same.
• Think twice before using fast fashion as an excuse for something new.
• Buying just a few high-quality items a year, rather than lots of cheaper, less eco-friendly pieces, will dramatically reduce your carbon footprint; so why not save up, invest and buy less.

Stanning Sustainable Jewelry

A relatively newer concept, slow jewelry is all about buying traditional, high-quality pieces whose value will only increase over the years. The defining facets of the slow jewelry movement would curate unique talismans with the following features:

Good
Designs that are made to withstand and shine through whatever life throws your way. Pieces that are made to last a lifetime and tell a story or hold a memory that can be passed down with a human touch – retaining connection to the origins.

Clean
We should consider the consequences of buying jewelry made in a factory on the other side of the world at the expense of the environment, local economies and craftspeople. Instead, we need jewelry that has an air of honesty about it in addition to transparency.

Fair
Cheap labour and machines mass-produce jewelry so that it can be bought on a whim. Their production methods don’t often consider the human cost of their material and it’s so easy to lose track of the narrative in a quest for cheaper and faster due to which the jewelry loses its uniqueness.

What’s Inclusivity Got to Do with It?

The concept of inclusivity while obscure, is as important to the conversation about sustainability as the ethical impact of our choices. We need to look at supporting and becoming aware of narratives that prioritise people as well as the planet.

This means a world where sustainable fashion curates beautiful pieces that are not just cool and kind but also standardised for wearers without discriminating against size. A major challenge in terms of upping the ante when it comes to fashion is about the limited size-diverse, sustainable options – leading to a sort of size apartheid that ultimately drives so many of us to purchase disposable pieces whose only future lies in a landfill.

A great way to counter this is to invest in hackable pieces that can be worn regardless of size fluctuations. Features could include adjustable rings or detachable belts, interchangeable charms or extra fabric allowance.

Sustain Your Style

Sustainability lies beyond just parroting buzzwords while focusing on action that is socially driven. It must re-direct respect and dignity for workers, buyers AND the environment.

From design to production, we need to examine our choices and understand wages as well as working conditions in the quest for beautiful, timeless products.

If we are to meet future demand within planetary limits, we need to radically rethink the way we consume. This means reducing our dependence on virgin materials and in effect, transforming the way we produce, use and discard fashion – our greatest modern-day addiction.

Youlry

Thoughtfully designed in our studio, Youlry is made keeping your exceptional taste in mind. Crafted from pure gold and set in precious stones whose value never declines as time rolls by, our collections feature distinct pieces that are wearable years down the line.