The story behind my recycled sari necklaces

Recycled sari necklace
Picture by Marco Cortese

handmade, ethical, sustainable 

When solidarity meets sustainability

The recycled saris necklaces are not simple accessories, but symbols of solidarity and sustainability brought to life by the hands of extremely skilled women.

In April 2015 an earthquake killed nearly 9,000 people and injured nearly 22,000 in Nepal. I was heartbroken by this tragedy and I felt like I had to do my part in helping these people.

I had heard of women from Nepal who had the brilliant idea of recycling old saris by turning them into a new yarn. This yarn is not only very sustainable but also extremely beautiful. I decided to help the population of Nepal as much as I could, so I got in touch with a local Fair Trade organization who pointed me towards a group of women who sells recycled sari. Therefore, I bought some of this yarn.

For years and years, I tried to find a way to work it, but sadly whenever I tried to work the yarn disintegrated and I started to get pretty frustrated.

Finally, 3 years ago I got a great idea: I started working it together with my hand-dyed silk yarn. The silk yarn gave the recycled sari yarn strength and lightness. My recycled sari necklaces were born!

To make these amazing accessories I only use a special silk yarn, called "non-violent silk” or “peace silk". Peace silk, just like regular silk, has excellent thermal stability, meaning it can be both insulating and breathable at the same time and it’s durable and light weight. But peace silk is not only beautiful and performing but also ethical since no animal has to suffer or die to make this elegant fabric.

Each necklace is a handmade and therefore unique, a colorful piece of jewelry filled with love and creativity.