Chic Made Consciously: Jewellery With A World Changing Back Story
“Fashion is more than just looking chic and stylish, it's about being conscious and ensuring that everyone in the process is treated fairly.”- Chic Made Consciously.
Something hit me hard when I opened up my package from Chic Made Consciously. I’ve followed their journey for over a year, but the impact of the incredible work they are doing in the fashion industry didn’t fully set in until their jewellery was in front of me. I’ll be honest: my eyes welled up.
Inside the package was a picture and description of the man who made my jewellery: Chenla. Seeing him, and a small part of his workshop, immediately made me picture myself standing beside him. I imagined the smells, the heat when crafting the metal, and his careful concentration to get the pieces just right.
We don’t always have the honour of knowing the makers. This is how fashion should exist. The feeling is invaluable.
Chic Made Consciously is the brain child of Cassandra Ciarallo: a woman with a mission I back 110%. After visiting Bali in 2014, Cassandra fell in love with the art of up-cycling tyres into jewellery. She learnt more about the issue with tyres: they were being thrown into landfill, and negatively effecting the environment throughout the whole country. Feeling a pull to the movement, and a passion for both protecting the environment and respecting skilled artisans, Cassandra teamed with Balinese artisans, to bring their craft to the Canadian market.
Products should be made to last, and adored for a lifetime. This is the key purpose of Chic Made Consciously, who work with their artisans in Bali and Cambodia, to preserve their culture and art form, whilst upholding fair wages, and ethical production.
Many companies in the ethical fashion industry, focus either on the environmental impact of their products, or the ethical labour side of things. Chic Made Consciously do both. They’re passionate about being transparent in every single thing they do, and encourage customers to ask questions.
As well as jewellery, wallets, bags, decor, and festival wear made from old tyres, Chic Made Consciously have launched a Golden Collection…
Not many people can say “my necklace and bracelet are made from war remnants; landmine shells and bullet casings left after war”. I can.
The Spirit Choker: I broke world records with this beauty for the shortest amount of time it takes for a new item to be commented on. I had only worn it in public for 10 minutes, until someone (with highly respected taste!) commented and asked where it’s from. I adore how versatile it is, and how well it dresses up my casual outfits. I’m generally quite casual in my everyday, and popping this on before I go out in the evening, has been an easy and practical treat!
The Flavia Bracelet: The hammered look adds the texture I need (I’m all about raw and real!), and it’s such a great layering piece to pair with all sorts of other bracelets. My favourite part about wearing this piece, is being able to talk about the story behind the bracelet when someone says they love it. The Flavia bracelet will be hanging on my wrist for a lifetime, and I’ll be talking about it’s story forever too.
Chic Made Consciously continue to grow their impact throughout communities in Cambodia and Bali, as their products begin to be worn and loved by men and women all over the globe. They continuously find ways to give back to their global community, and who knows what stunning materials and collections they’ll come up with next!
Shop Chic Made Consciously here.
As a rule, I only work with brands I love, use, and can whole heartedly back. This is a sponsored blog (I can't pay my electricity bill with free eco products), but 100% my own words, photos, and opinion.
