Today is all about showcasing sustainable accessory brands from all around the world, including our little island, Cyprus. Below are a few of my favorite pieces from the following 5 brands!
Emily is a New Yorker who moved to Milan to pursue her fashion career dream. After years of designing for other brands, she finally launched her own collection in 2018. She mainly focuses on resort/holiday wear and accessories like purses and jewelry. Her designs are produced in small quantities in India and in partnership with Indian female artisans who work from home to support their families. I literally want every single thing they sell.
Hadithi Crafts is an umbrella organization representing a number of women’s groups, which make handcrafts in south-eastern Kenya. They play a supportive role for these women’s groups by helping them improve the quality of their products, improve sales through joint marketing efforts, and learn business and other important skills to improve their lives overall.
You can DM them on Instagram or Facebook requesting what you want and they’ll ship it for you.
Sister is a platform for curated, handcrafted products lovingly made in Cyprus. Currently Antonia sells jewellery handcrafted by k. Giorgos and k. Panagiotis in Lefkara, and ceramics by k. Panikos in Limassol (whom I have the privilege to know and can confirm is the loveliest man on earth). Antonia wanted to reconnect with her Cypriot heritage after living abroad for 12 years (and still is) and that’s how the brand was born back in 2018. It’s a beautiful story that I resonate with 100%.
Pura Utz is another brand that works with artisans to create jewelry and bags. All their products are produced to honour and to create a sustainable income for the incredible women in Guatemala. Founded by a sweet lady from Denmark who travelled to Guatemala at a young age and fell in love with the culture.
- Bourgine
Bourgine is a super, cool artsy boutique in Paris that I always love to visit when I’m there for fashion weeks. It’s truly one of my favorite places to shop from, as I know everything is produced mindfully by a small group of female designers and pattern makers (you can literally see them making them whilst your shopping because the atelier and the shop floor are connected). Every few months they come out with a newly themed collection and with every collection they produce a limited number of accessories using the same fabrics.
Hope you liked my top 5-list of ethical accessory brands. It’s important to support brands that don’t exploit people and nature for profit because this is a great way as a consumer to show what changes you would like to see in the world. It’s also much more meaningful and precious to buy something that you know is for a good cause therefore treasure it for the rest of your life or possibly pass it on to your children, rather than buying something from a fast fashion company that is made with no love and care and in harsh conditions.
The Green Edit
Melanie Christou
