Expanding the KINdom with New Partner Brands
We love it when we find other brands who have like minds, going above and beyond in their sustainable effort, just like us! Here are two of our faves that we proudly offer in the KINDOM web shop, who truly go out of their way to create and produce while keeping the people and the environment in mind:
ANGKAN
Angkan in Tagalog, means family, tribe or clan.
Angkan is a contemporary collection of unique limited edition items, packed with conscious energy, made sustainably by talented artisans throughout the Philippine islands.
It’s inspired by the spirit of a global traveler, an eclectic mix of textures and colors with appreciation for handmade and a dream for a sustainable community.
Each design is made to be a reminder that each thought, is an inspiration that leads to action and empowerment. Activating your consciousness will lead you to an awakening and understanding that we are all connected and have a role in social responsibility and the preservation of the planet.
Dedicating her life to a career in fashion which she dreamed of since childhood, Carol de Leon had the satisfaction of working in the world’s fashion capitals, NY, Milan, Paris, London and seeing her designs in top stores and magazines. After 2 decades in the fashion industry working for big corporations churning out designs in enormous quantities and at the helm of her own own shoe line which was sold in over 44 countries, she began to question the meaning of success in the industry that she loved. Based in Los Angeles, where sun, fun and beautiful people were the idyllic superficial norm, she began to search for a deeper purpose while continuing to design and develop product.
It was no longer satisfying to design just to meet sales goals which corporations consider the main measure of success even if it means profits over people. As the traditional retail infrastructure in the USA crumbled, and e-commerce became the new way to shop, she realized new opportunities can be created by moving away from hyper consumerism and instead take steps toward a conscious way to shop, where people and marginalized communities can have an opportunity to earn fare wages and artisans can have their work exposed and appreciated by like minded people across the globe.
The first products designed with this new enlightened thinking were energy cuffs with biomagnets that connect with the wearers own aura. Each design was made to be a reminder that each thought, is an inspiration that leads to action and empowerment. Activating your consciousness will lead you to an awakening and understanding that we are all connected and have a role in social responsibility and the preservation of the planet. Angkan in tagalog, means Family, Tribe or Clan. This reflects the interconnectedness she felt was missing in the fashion industry.
Born in the Philippines, she was interested to learn more about the country, it’s people and talented artisans. Having been trained and working with production in Italy, she had a keen appreciation for quality and intricate hand made designs and was pleasantly surprised to discover the talented artisans spread throughout the Philippine islands, each region with a unique specialty or “mano d’opera”. Angkan quickly expanded to resort accessories, handbags and shoes, and today, masks, using indigenous handwoven tribal textiles, often embroidered with sacred hand embroidery by indigenous communities in the Philippine Islands.
Check-out Angkan & KINDOM indigenous handwoven masks here.
ASTOR + ORION
An idea dreamed in Shanghai, conceived in Bali, and born in Seattle.
Astor + Orion, just like many aspects of life, was born out of a coincidental meeting.
Karen Hartman - a passionate creative who spent nearly a decade in Shanghai, China as a manufacturing agent - was looking for a new way to express her creativity.
In her search, she came across a jewelry design class taught by renowned American sculptor, Tomas Wittelsbach. Intrigued by the idea of learning how to sculpt organic shapes using a 3D sculpting program called Zbrush, she signed up.
As Karen watched Tomas’ groundbreaking techniques unfold, she knew right away this new workflow could lead to big changes in the jewelry industry. After the class ended, Karen knew she had to use this technique to design a product line of her own.
Truly inspired by Tomas’ perspective on art and design, she kept in touch to discuss the development of her idea. They continued building upon it even when she and her family moved from Shanghai to Bali.
As fate would have it, Karen’s husband got a new job, which moved them from Bali to Seattle - right into Tomas’ backyard. They established a studio in the Ballard neighborhood and Astor + Orion was born in January of 2018.
How they make ethical jewelry.
Even though every piece of jewelry is designed in a 3D environment, each one maintains the vintage charm of intricate handcrafted designs to create a piece that’s as unique as you.
The process begins with design and 3D modeling. Tomas uses a digital sculpting software called Zbrush to craft every part with finesse and care, treating it as though it’s a piece of art to be hung in The Louvre. Once they are happy with the design on-screen, we use our 3D printer to create a prototype
The designs and prototype are then sent to an ethical manufacturing facility in Bangkok, Thailand, that takes care of the casting and finishing. There, the factory casts our jewelry in surgical stainless steel and plates them with silver, rose gold, 18k gold, or oxidized titanium. They use recycled metals in every piece they produce.
In 2008, this factory moved itself from China to Thailand so they could increase their environmental standards. If you’ve never moved a factory before - and we’re pretty sure you haven’t - it takes a little bit more work than hiring a few moving guys and a truck.
In 2012, this factory achieved international certification for their quality, health, and safety standards. Their air and water filtration systems are regarded by the Thai government as the best in the province and a model for new factories to follow.
Still not convinced? Click here to get an inside look at the factory and learn more about their certifications for worker health and safety as well as environmental controls.
How they support the community.
They don’t just make beautiful and intricate fashion jewelry; they also use their talents and resources to support the creative community.
A portion of our proceeds goes to Tomas’ Alma mater, Cal Arts. The Cal Arts Community Art Partnership offers free after-school and school-based arts programs for youth. To learn more about the CAPS program, please visit: https://calarts.edu/cap/overview
We also believe strongly in the idea of community over competition. Tomas continues to offer online classes on Zbrush for jewelry design. These classes are designed to show artists how to use the workflows we’ve developed over the years. To learn more about these classes and scholarship programs, please visit: ZBrush Jewelry Workshop
Check-out Astor + Orion's recycled jewelry here.