Ethical E-Commerce Site Fashionkind Introduces Fine Jewelry
Nina Farran, founder of Fashionkind—an e-commerce site that offers a chic array of ethically and sustainably made clothing and accessories—has debuted a expanded collection of fine jewelry. Designs range from subtle, smooth gold pendants and rings to bold pieces made with vibrant pink sapphires, emeralds, and Australian Lightning Ridge opals. A pair of dazzling aquamarine earrings by Nak Armstrong ($9,650) are a click away from Lola Fenhirst’s understated recycled 18-karat yellow-gold bracelet ($1,400)—one of Farran’s personal favorites. But all pieces share a common thread: “All our designers are breathing new life into something instead of mining more or depleting resources,” explains Farran. “[These designers] are using post-consumer diamonds and recycled metals. And if they are mining new materials or creating more resource consumption, they’re doing it in a way that’s highly transparent and traceable.”
Farran debuted Fashionkind in the spring of 2016. Its repertoire ranges from vegan shoes made with recycled materials to hand-knit cashmere sweaters. “The fashion industry is speculated to be the second most polluting industry on the planet, second only to oil and gas,” says Farran. “We had to demonstrate that style, ethics, and sustainability could be synonymous.” In addition to stocking designs made using environmentally and ethically sustainable practices—for example, many pieces of jewelry use recycled metals and clothing items are crafted with materials that require less water-intensive crops—the sale of most pieces on the site benefit a charitable organization.
Fashionkind’s expanded fine jewelry collection includes several exclusive pieces, including a playful pink enamel ring by Holly Dyment, a pair of asymmetric rutilated quartz earrings by Dana Bronfman, a special ruby charm by Buddha Mama, and custom-made coral-inspired designs by Kimberlin Brown. “A lot of our pieces by Kimberlin represent coral or sea anemone. Not only are they exquisite pieces, but she actually created them to raise awareness around coral conservation. So it’s a conversation piece,” says Farran. “There’s more than what just meets the eye, and to us, that’s really what luxury is all about—having this special story and this special impact.”
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