We love discovering new brands, supporting small businesses and backing independent designers and creatives. What we enjoy even more than this, though, is brands that start off on the right foot and shape the future with a sustainable, eco-friendly approach. It seems as though during lockdown a lot of people have taken the opportunity to follow their passions or hobbies and have created new labels. We’re interested in the ones that are making products from sustainable materials, using recycled and recyclable packaging and giving back already by supporting different organisations and charities. It seems as though we’re not the only ones.

Lyst released its Conscious Fashion Report earlier this year and found that since the beginning of 2020, there has been a 37% increase in sustainability-related searches. Ethical jewellery in particular has seen a 60% year-on-year spike in searches and keywords such as biodegradable, recycled and organic are all on the hot list. It’s important now more than ever to be conscious with the way we shop, to support the brands that are giving back to the planet and to recognise the efforts of up and coming labels. 

We’ve already rounded up some of the best new sustainable clothing brands of 2020, now it’s time to see our carefully curated edit of new jewellery and accessory brands launching with a more sustainable approach to shopping. Scroll down to see our favourites so far.

Best sustainable jewellery and accessory brands 

Hands Bags

Label: Handmade bag brand, Hands Bags. 

Website: Find on Depop depop.com/handsbagss/ 

Launched: January 2020.

Best for: Bags, bags and more bags. If you want arm-candy which will get everyone asking where you got it from, this is the one to go for. The bright, beaded bags with a 90s vibe are guaranteed to make a statement and uplift any outfit.

Sustainability: Each bag is handmade by the owner and her family in Ghana. Older bags can also be unwoven and the beads are made into other items such as headbands, belts and bracelets. The brand ships worldwide and uses recycled and recyclable mailing bags and packaging for all of its deliveries. 

Sken Studios

Label: Handmade fine jewellery, Sken Studios. 

Website: skenstudios.com

Launched: May 2020.

Best for: The UK brand is a go-to when it comes to unique chunky signet rings, cute everyday earrings and pendant chain necklaces. 

Sustainability: Each piece of jewellery is handmade in Manchester. Made from environmentally friendly materials, all precious metals are created using recycled silver and gold. The packaging used to ship the gorgeous jewels are all recycled and recyclable, too. Even the paper scraps from the offices are shredded and recycled to use as padding for the boxes. 

Hanga

Label: Rope bag brand, Hanga. 

Website: hangastore.com

Launching: Starting off with macrame plant holders in Mach 2019, the brand then ventured into handbags and were featured in a British Vogue fashion editorial in June 2020. 

Best for: Colourful and customisable rope style bags, hanging planters and keychains. 

Sustainability: The “one woman sustainable brand” is all about creating amazing products from scrap material. Recycled rope is used to create each and every bag and planter and is lovingly made by the owner, Tor Bolt. 

Nina Pippa

Label: Vintage jewellery designer, Nina Pippa. 

Website: ninapippashop.com

Launched: Summer 2019. 

Best for: Special, unique and one-off earrings and necklaces. 

Sustainability: Designed in London, Nina collects vintage beads and creates all her jewellery from the second-hand finds. Each piece is unique and stands by the ethos of reimagining past treasures into new pieces to wear now, and forever. Ignoring seasons and trends, these are all made to have longevity and made to have a story. 

Saint Kojo

Label: Precious jewellery label, Saint Koko. 

Website: saintkoko.com

Launched: The end of 2019. 

Best for: Affordable jewellery you won’t want to just save for special occasions. 

Sustainability: The brand sources materials from local female entrepreneurs and supports projects which empower women/girls worldwide. The upcoming a/w 2020 ‘artisan’ collection will feature handmade designs from West Africa, South Africa and India. All profits from the new collection will go towards Saint Koko’s aim of helping to educate 1000 underprivileged girls by 2023. 

Bottletop #togetherband

Label: The organisation #togetherbands was created by sustainable accessory brand Bottletops and UBS.

Website: Togetherband.org

Launched: The #togetherband campaign launched in April 2020 for World Earth Day.

Best for: Eco-friendly face masks and friendship bracelets which raise awareness and money for the UN’s global goals.

Sustainability: The campaign was started to share the UN’s 17 global goals by selling products to raise money for life changing projects. The bracelets come in 17 different colours to support each goal and are made in Nepal using plastic removed from the oceans. Now the campaign has launched sustainably made face masks – for each one sold a face shield is donated to medical staff. The two styles available are made from organic cotton and all packaging for shipping is 100% recycled and recyclable. 

Sami 

Label: Jewellery label, Sami.

Website: ethicalstoriesethicalme.com/collections/sami

Launched: The brand launched in 2019 and will be launching its very own website in December 2020.

Best for: Handcrafted jewellery focusing on natural stones and gorgeous attention to detail.

Sustainability: All the jewellery Sami makes is handmade in India in a workshop which follows fair trade practices of equal rights, fair wages, no child labour and safe working conditions. All the natural stones uses are sources from ethically run mines and 10% of all profits from the new collection goes to Future Home providing education for children living on the streets in India. 

Opening image: Getty

Other images: Instagram