As the owner of the business, I am very conscious of the fact that I am selling stuff in a world with so much stuff already. As a result, I believe strongly in slow fashion. Every item we stock here at OOMA will stand the test of time, both in terms of quality and design.
At OOMA we have several collections that go that extra mile in sustainability and/or social enterprise. Here are just a few examples:
- Fran Carter Jewellery
- Sol Designs
- Escama Studio
- Sobral Design
- Metal Metcalfe
- Munro Clothing - Goddess Jocks & God Jocks
- Jewels of the Earth
I love well-designed up-cycled items and we have fabulous earrings from Wellington jewellery Fran Carter that are made with up-cycled plastic gelato tasting spoons and sterling silver. Colourful, lightweight, and bold, these are earrings that make a difference......
At Sol Designs, tires and construction waste are up-cycled into handbags that are functional and distinctive. Vinyl flooring and plywood that is surplus to a construction project is used to create clutches and handbags with a true point of difference. The Traction Collection uses tires and plywood and in the process of reconstituting the tires nothing goes into the air, water, or landfill. To make these even more wonderful, adults with intellectual challenges are employed in the workshop. I love this collection.
Escama Studio is a fantastic initiative that utilises the pull tabs on the tops of aluminium cans to make a collections of coin purses, handbags, and more. Read more about Escama Studio here:
https://www.ooma.co.nz/collections/escama-studio
Another Brazilian enterprise, Sobral Design, creates bold and colourful jewellery from resin (a by-product of the petroleum processing industry. They have implemented state of the art practices in their factory to avoid eliminate environmental impacts. At Sobral they recycle all the waste produced and use all industrial waste creatively in new pieces. ....
Metal Metcalfe is the result of a dynamic duo of sisters who create a gorgeous variety of sculptural objects, garden art, and jewellery from steel drums originally destined for landfill. Located nearby, Amy and Katie fashion delightful items from something we might not associate with beauty. Whimsy definitely plays a factor!
Munro Clothing - Funky one-of-a-kind undies, made from the leftovers of the fashion industry, will definitely bring a smile to your face! Caroline and her team rescue fabric destined for the landfill and make comfy, quality God Jocks & Goddess Jocks for him and her!
Jewels of the Earth Jewellery is the passion of Paul and his team. All stones are ethically sourced and mined. His fair trade workshop is based in Bali where skilled artisans produce beautiful and quality jewellery in a class of its own. The stones range from the well-known to the rare and obscure. Each visit he makes to us is a treat of the most beautiful stones from around the world. ....
If you know of a designer or artisan who produces beautiful items that are sustainable, up-cycled, and/or social enterprise we would love to here about them.
At OOMA, we try hard to minimise waste and our impact on the earth. We re-use everything we possibly can before looking to up-cycling and finally, to recycling. Landfill is really the last resort. From bubblewrap to boxes, we re-use everything we can when sending orders.