Sustainability really is at the heart of Parulina, but for us being responsible and ethical in jewellery trade goes beyond that. We also like to give back to the Earth. For us it is the ‘carbon calculator’ equivalent of us taking the gems which can’t be naturally sourced even though they are ethically sourced. Our give back is to the animal kingdom and global conservation, both of which are essential to maintaining our ecosystem and the planet as we know it. Parulina has long had a partnership with the WCS, the Wildlife Conservation Society, who you may know from running the New York Zoo’s and Aquariums. In addition to this the WCS are leaders in research and action when it comes to animal and sealife protection and climate change.
The ‘Hanging On’ collection has been specifically designed with the endangered animals in mind, and hence the name as they are ‘hanging on’ for survival. Each piece depicts an animal orsealife population who is at risk, including the tiger, the octopus, the elephant, the turtle and lizard to name a few. Parulina initially designed these pieces to raise awareness for the animals who are hanging on, but since then WCS have loved this concept and as such we now partner with them and use this collection to donate a proportion (7%) of these sales to them.
SUSTAINABILITY
We talk about Jewelry not having to leave a footprint, but what does this really mean? For us it means we don’t want to damage the Earth or those who live in it as we source our gems and precious metals. Our jewelry is a beautiful gift to yourself or a loved one but this shouldn’t come at a cost to others, and we pride ourselves on the following practices to ensure sustainability:
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1. Pearls: we only deal with pearl farms who follow ethical standards, and we know this because Kuki validates the source of all her pearls, either through visiting in person or based on personal recommendations. Parulina also uses ‘Keshi' Peals where we can, these are the most natural form of a pearl.
2. Gold: we use only use what we know to be reclaimed gold which has been ethically sourced. We don’t believe in blasting the Earth for gold, it is damaging and we believe it unnecessary when we can use reclaimed gold which can be used with exactly the same end result but without leaving a footprint.
3. Precious Stones: we source our gems, including our diamonds from ethically sourced suppliers who Kuki either personally meets or uses reputable, ethical and approved sources.