production & materials

Production & Materials

CHANGE THE WORLD A LITTLE

Our core intention – to change the world a little – is carried in each of our creations by offering transparency and insight into working with the most ethical and sustainable production procedures possible.

 

Being aware of the imprint we leave on the world is one of our biggest focuses. That is that we constantly investigate the most ethical materials, causing the least harm possible to our beloved planet. We look into each component of the development and creation of our designs and trace its origin as far back as possible.

 

ETHICAL PRODUCTION + ARTISAN

We are working with two Bali-based production houses, one based in Denpasar and one in the artisan and silver village named Celuk. Both production sites are as committed to ethical work practices as we are. We ensure and follow up that they comply with fair trade work conditions, offering fair work hours, paid leave, medical and life insurance, and even accommodation for non-local team members along with a daycare for working mothers.

 

In a little family compound in the village of Celuk is where a lot of our magic – the embellishment and the assembly – happens. At every stage of our production we ensure fair working conditions.

 

Artisans are an important part of the traditional communities in Bali. A place where one can find a particular group of artisans is in Celuk Village where silversmiths have been practicing their crafts for decades.

 

Arts and crafts are a significant part of the Balinese culture, and among their artisans one can find a community of highly skilled silversmiths. Jewelers here use traditional methods to produce their unique style of silverwork. It doesn't happen very often that these skills are explicitly performed by women, which is why we are even more enraptured by the talent of the women working in the Ananda Soul production.

 

Many families in Bali can trace their silversmith roots back to the Majapahit Empire (around the 13th century) and the invasion of the Javanese in the 16th century. In Bali metal smiths are known as ‘Pandai’, a term that translates as both smith and clever. In legends in the area, the first goldsmith clans were taught their craft by the gods that were sent to earth to teach humankind civil behavior.

 

The production in Denpasar is where our wax-makers sit as well as where casting and plating process of our jewelry happen.

 

In addition, our beaded and braided designs are all assembled by mothers of street children in Denpasar.

RECYCLED SILVER AND PRECIOUS METALS

RECYCLED SILVER

The core of our jewelry pieces is made from high-quality, certified recycled 925 sterling silver and is sourced from a German company that refines their metals using environmentally safe practices. We choose the path of recycled Silver which means that no additional mining is necessary for the creation of our products. 

Metal mining generally comes at a high cost for our planet and humanity – causing erosion, the contamination of groundwater and soil through the use of chemicals as a part of the mining process, the loss of biodiversity, landscape damage and human rights abuse and child labor on the social side.

While we can’t take away the fact that silver used to be taken from the ground in the first place, we can ensure on our end that the Silver used in our products is coming from sources that recycle what is already circulating through our planet. Silver is ethical in a sense that it is never thrown away, hence it can be reused over and over again without compromising its quality over time. 

The 925 in sterling silver means that it’s a combination of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% alloys to strengthen the metal. The alloy we use is copper sourced from Germany and is 100% nickel-free. Like all silver jewelry, 925 Recycled sterling silver will tarnish over time. Any darkening or discoloration that occurs is usually caused by oxidation. This is a normal process and will happen to all silver jewelry over time and can be caused by different factors such as humidity, sweat, cosmetics or diet.

GOLD VERMEIL

22kt Gold Vermeil pieces are sterling silver pieces that have been plated with 22kt Gold. Gold-plating liquids are unfortunately not yet available from recycled Gold but we are constantly on the lookout for when this becomes an option.

Gold Vermeil is not solid gold and should be treated with care to preserve its quality. It wears differently with each person depending on diet, climate, use of cosmetics and lifestyle.

22KT GOLD PLATED 925 ECO STERLING SILVER

22kt Gold plated silver jewelry is high-quality, certified recycled 925 Sterling silver that has been plated with 22kt gold.

BLESSINGS FROM BALI

As a last and important step of our production cycle all our jewelry is blessed in a Balinese ceremony before being sent out into the world.

We as a team come together once a month with the guidance of a Balinese priest to gather affirmations, prayers, good intentions, and energy to breathe life and blessings into our designs. Our prayer is that our jewelry uplift and brings joy to every person who gets in touch with it.