Products

Handmade Luxury vegan women footwear

Initiative : Started in July 2021 by footwear fetish person, Shraddha Joshi, who found gaps in the vegan and customised footwear segment and decided to venture into the same.

Sustainability and Responsibility are two words that come to mind when talking about Sole Weavers. This Indian Women’s Footwear brand responsibly crafts luxury shoes for women in the traditional way of shoemaking, where every design is unique and exquisite. All footwear by them is vegan, eco-friendly, super soft and comfortable. They design to the needs of their customer by offering bespoke or customised footwear.

Sole Weavers works with artisans to handcraft luxury footwear and are providing employment to many craftsmen, thus continuing with the priceless shoe-making tradition of India. Their footwear is sustainable, made of natural materials like jute & cloth in addition to other vegan materials.

Impact : Sold over 110 pairs of vegan shoes in less than a year

Inspiration : Care for the Planet, People and Promote the priceless shoe-making tradition of India

Check out their exclusive designs at https:// www.soleweavers24.com/

A Conscious Carma Initiative

Simple. Great for the Ego, and even better for the Eco.

A new generation of progressive and adaptable individuals is indulging in more conscious diamonds. A growing cohort and tribe that believe that, whether it is love or love for diamonds, it must be conflict-free. Contrary to popular belief, owning or gifting diamonds is about more than just money. However, emotional investment is required. Nothing else matters when emotions are involved, as we all know. 

The generation’s beauty is that they are interested in the diamond’s journey and the process of making it. They are sceptical of everything. Does the radiance and brilliance of traditionally mined diamonds obscure the truth about exploitation and conflict? And the youth have discovered grown diamonds in their pursuit of finding freedom from the unethical treatment of the earth, the people involved in the extraction, and the community. 

CONSCIOUSLY MAKING SUSTAINABLE CHOICES. 

The progressives want to be free of the shackles of misery that are associated with diamonds. The paradox is that diamond miners (in the traditional sense), who extract the most precious stone from the earth’s core, are among the community’s poorest members. 

The Land 

Diamond Alchemists, who are skilled and equipped to work in high-tech facilities, grow diamonds in a controlled environment. This effectively means that large tracts of land will not be dug up and excavated to deep recesses beneath the earth’s surface. Grown diamonds eliminate dangerous scenarios such as soil erosion, deforestation, and ecosystem destruction. Second, mined diamonds can devastate the natural beauty and local ecology of the area where the mines are located, whereas Grown Diamonds require no earth displacement and use a small amount of land to construct facilities.  

This is only the tip of the iceberg. The impact of choosing Grown Diamonds vs. Mined Diamonds is a welcome revelation, according to a Global, reputable research and consulting firm.   

The Air 

If love is in the air, so are carbon, sulphur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide emissions. Here’s how 1 carat of diamond mining compares to 1 carat of grown diamond. Cabon Emissions: 57,000 grammes vs. 0.028 grammes. While mined diamonds emit 0.042 tonnes of nitrogen dioxide, grown diamonds emit 0.09 milligrams. 

The Water 

Diamonds are luxury. Mined diamonds require 0.48 m3 of water to produce one carat of diamond, while grown diamonds require 0.07 m3. To put that into perspective, the water usage ratio is 6.9:1.  

If you consider yourself to be a conscientious consumer, Grown Diamonds may be the right choice for you. Here’s another one. Incidents involving the environment. According to the international report, the mined category has 4.5 incidents. There have been zero environmental incidents reported in the grown Diamond Category. 

The Natural Habitat 

Grown diamonds and their purchasers can assert that their diamonds do not disrupt natural habitat. Plants and animals are not harmed in any way during the diamond-growing process. Grown diamonds have no negative impact on biodiversity, ecology, or natural habitat. The truth is that when land is mined for diamonds, native plant and animal life is disrupted and displaced. Grown Diamonds simply believes and delivers on the belief that when taking diamonds home, de-homing others, including plants, animals, and people, is not an option. 

While Grown Diamonds have provided a solution for years of conflicted diamonds, human rights, and forced labour, there is still much room to achieve the deepest shade of green. The industry will rapidly transition to renewable energy with zero reliance on fossil fuels, while also monitoring its carbon footprint and achieving carbon neutrality. 

If diamonds are the ultimate symbol of love, then Grown Diamonds are an excellent way to ensure that love is conflict-free, guilt-free, and toxicity-free for all humans, animals, and, most importantly, the environment.”

Lisa Mukhedkar, Founder & CEO 
AUKERA Jewellery 
www.aukerajewellery.com 

“Aukera was founded by Lisa Mukhedkar, a highly accomplished retail designer and seasoned entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience. Supported by an exceptional team of retail experts and merchandisers, Aukera strives to be the go-to brand for women, free from any limitations associated with mined diamonds.

Lisa’s entry into this industry was influenced by her observations of the international market, where even established players like De Beers and Tanishq have embraced lab-grown diamonds. Moreover, key developments in this sector were presented in Nirmala Sitharaman’s recent budget, further solidifying the decision to venture into this domain.”

By Supriya Shirsat Satam

Jewellery has always been associated with glamour and beauty, but beneath the sparkle lies a dark truth of forced labour, adverse environmental impact and unsustainable practices. We can help restore the balance by embracing the new wave of vegan and sustainable jewellery industry. By supporting these budding independent companies, we can help in shaping a healthier industry – one that places the importance of the environment and its workers first.

Jewellery has been a statement adornment since traditional days and continues to capture our modern world with the same fervour. While the industry continues to grow at an insurmountable pace, it is important for us to recognize the issues that plague our industry and take steps to create a brighter and more sustainable future. From environmental waste produced by the traditional industry to unfair labour practices and the material impact, it is time to take an honest look at what drives the industry we love so much.

How the traditional jewellery industry affects the environment

It may come as a surprise to you, but traditional jewellery production can have a negative environmental impact. The mining practices used to gather materials for jewellery production are often incredibly resource-intensive and non-renewable. This can lead to water contamination, soil destabilisation, deforestation, and much more.

Additionally, many of the metals used in traditional jewellery production can have detrimental effects on our environment due to their chemical makeup. These metals often contain toxins that are released out into our environment causing massive amounts of air and water pollution.

The excessive exploitation of seashells for pearls, and the slaughtering of animals for hides and other body parts for jewellery also raises serious ethical questions.

Fortunately, industry experts and governments from around the world have worked together to introduce ethical and safe standards and procedures for sourcing and supply of raw materials.

What is sustainable and vegan jewellery and why must one consider them?

Sustainable and vegan jewellery offers an environmentally conscious alternative to traditional jewellery.

Sustainable jewellery takes into account the entire supply chain, from the sourcing of raw materials to the development of the end product, with the goal of minimising waste, reducing carbon footprint, and conserving natural resources. This is often achieved through the use of recycled or upcycled materials, responsible mining practices, and sustainable manufacturing processes.

On the other hand, ethical jewellery focuses on the social impact of the supply chain, ensuring fair treatment of workers, providing a living wage, and ensuring safe and healthy working conditions. This includes the use of conflict-free and fair-trade materials and the adoption of responsible labour practices.

Sustainable and ethical jewellery share similar goals of creating a positive impact that benefits the environment. In many cases, sustainable and ethical jewellery also prioritise animal welfare by using vegan materials or ethically sourced animal products. Vegan Jewellery does not promote the usage of pearls, feathers, animal skin, etc., but uses ethically sourced cork and other plant-based materials that are upcycled from waste. There is a growing market for cruelty-free jewellery and several companies are catering to the diverse needs of consumers.

The benefits are innumerable when it comes to opting for sustainable and vegan jewellery. To start with, vegan and sustainable jewellery is responsible for a very small amount of carbon footprint contribution. As stated earlier, traditional jewellery production contributes to the emission of a lot of pollutants into the environment of which a majority is carbon dioxide. Sustainable jewellery producers believe in bringing down wastage strategically by using only what is required in each design. They also practise reusing or repurposing metals, if possible, to bring down waste effectively. Sustainable jewellery that is made using state-of-the-art new-age technology-based production also helps bring down CO2 emission meteorically.

Sustainable jewellery that is plant based, not only prioritises conscious production processes, but also takes into consideration the customer’s skin sensitivity levels. For instance, jewellery made from sustainable and vegan cork is hypoallergenic and suitable for all skin types including kids.

When it comes to fashion, it’s easy to get caught up in the latest trends and newest products, but considering the environment can also be an important factor. The key to success lies in conscious consumerism. Taking the time to research and purchase from innovative companies that are working to create a greener, more ethical industry is the most impactful way to support a future of sustainable jewellery. From using renewable energy sources to using ethically-sourced materials, shopping with purpose can go a long way.

Consumers can now look out for conscious brands that offer sustainable and vegan jewellery, taking into account non-cruel practices and fairly compensated manpower with minimal environmental impact. While still a relatively new concept, the increasing popularity of sustainable and vegan products underscores their potential significance in the years to come.

Choosing sustainable and vegan jewellery is not only a great way to make an eco-friendly statement, but also helps to make ethical choices without compromising on style.

About the Author : Supriya Shirsat Satam is the Founder & CEO, FOReT

Experience the luxury of handcrafted vegan and responsible vegan with FOReT in timeless styles.

FOReT, a premium sustainable fashion brand has recently unveiled an extensive new collection of sustainable and handcrafted wearables for men suited for any occasion. In line with the brand’s ethos to create stylish and sustainable fashion products in India, FOReT has introduced an accessories range featuring luxurious cork. The new collection from FOReT includes – cuffs, wraps, wristbands, bracelets, and rings.


Speaking about the new collection of men’s jewellery, Supriya Shirsat Satam, Founder & CEO, FOReT said, “Our Men’s Jewellery is an expression of minimalist and classic renditions that can add a touch of understated sophistication when accessorized with formal or smart casuals. We have put in a lot of effort in research and development with various eco-friendly materials to develop our wearables. With our Cork-based jewellery, we bring the texture of the Oak bark to our men’s bracelets, which is a statement by itself. In every product, we proudly showcase the grains in the bark and that adds to its exclusive appeal. Our USP is our design and every product is handcrafted with sustainable metals to create a visually attractive product for the customer.”

Cork material is upcycled from the bark of the Cork Oak tree and ethically sourced from the Mediterranean region. Naturally water and dust-resistant, cork can be used for years and ages gracefully. It makes an ideal substitute for animal-sourced leather that has environmental concerns.  Apart from jewellery, their collection also includes wallets and handbags from Cork and upcycled Banana Bark.  The jewellery is handmade with expert craftsmanship making it India’s first jewellery brand to create designed jewellery from the Cork Oak.

FOReT has been awarded the Industry Design Leadership Award by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) for design-led business practices that bring a positive social impact. Recently, it also won the PETA Vegan Fashion award for their Cork wallets.

Through their products, they support over 250+ artisans of which more than 200 are rural Indian women. With every purchase, they also support rural farmers and enrich their livelihood.

Availability:  http://www.foretstore.com