Want Love Need: Sustainable Things I Found This Month

So many things! This one-woman blog can’t give long, beautiful editorials to all the interesting new brands and launches I’m discovering. So I periodically put them all in a post for you to peruse. (I didn’t mean to do that just now with the Ps, but I kind of like it.)

Let me know in the comments which one is your favorite!

Need: Vrai & Oro

Vrai & Oro (truth in French and gold in Spanish), makes simple, timeless jewelry pieces that can be worn every day. They sell direct to consumer (à la Everlane or Reformation) so that the prices are more reasonable. Find a set of three gold stacking rings for $140, and solitaire diamond and gold earrings for $405. All the jewelry is made in Los Angeles. Consider it a capsule jewelry collection: Only the beautiful basics.

Want: IN.SEK

I first came across IN.SEK’s work at Species by the Thousands when the owner, Erica, saw me gazing in awe at a planter with dystopian metal fragments embedded into a gaping hole. IN.SEK is a Brooklyn-based company that designs and creates products, furniture, lighting, sculpture, and architectural spaces. They use solar power in their studio workshop, donate sawdust to local farmers, create as little waste as possible, and strive to create quality pieces that are durable and timeless. While much of their work is custom and for commercial clients, you can get your hands on one of their handmade products at chic boutiques in NYC, including Modern Anthology, Sprout Home, and Story.

Love: Zeal Living

Zeal Living is a platform that showcases undiscovered and up-and-coming African talent. Everything found on Zeal Living was made by an expert artisan as part of a social enterprise, in the studio of an independent designer, or was hand selected from an African market by the founder, Caitlin, for beauty and quality.

Need: Just B Smiling

Just B Smiling is a collection of one-of-a-kind phone cases made with real florals and foliage, handcrafted in Vancouver, Canada.

Need: Woron

Woron is a Scandinavian basics and lingerie brand based in Copenhagen, founded by sisters Anya and Arina Woron. Each bra, panty, tank, and bodysuit is made to be worn season after season and mixed and matched. Everything is made with the eco-friendly and soft textile modal and non-toxic dye that is Ökotex certified according to EU legislation.

Want: Aiayu 

Aiayu, an award-winning Danish company, creates sustainable knit fashion and home goods out of llama wool. The classic designs, made in Bolivia by artisans, come in neutral colors to ensure their longevity. Aiayu is so committed to sustainability, they built a water treatment plant for dying the wool to ensure the wastewater was treated and reused.

Love: Loyangalani

Loyangalani, means ‘place of many trees’ in the Samburu tongue. For the travelers that follow ancient trade routes, trees means that there is water – an oasis where different ethnic groups coexist with minimal conflict. Founder Gladys Macharia wanted to emulate that sense of cohesion with her brand Loyangalani. “Under the African Skies,” pictured, is a collection produced by talented artisans based in Kiambu, Ngara, and downtown Nairobi, and inspired by African myths on Astrology and the constellation of stars.