Heirloom Revival aspires to make custom-made, repurposed jewellery extra approachable.
Chelsey Bartrum’s newest enterprise depends on a extra retro follow: reusing previous jewellery to manufacture new designs.
Founding father of Starling, a LA-based minimalist jewellery model, Bartrum needs to assist convey extra circularity to the jewellery trade.
“Recycling in wonderful jewellery is a part of the trade, as a result of the supplies are helpful. However going about it may be difficult as a result of many individuals don’t have household jewelers anymore,” she says.
Founding father of Starling and Heirloom Revival, Chelsey Bartrum.
Thus, Bartrum has launched Heirloom Revival, an offshoot of Starling, that helps prospects facilitate the entire course of: they ship of their previous jewels (after answering some questions on-line), choose a brand new merchandise to be made with it, and obtain the “new” merchandise within the publish. Bartrum’s group works with every buyer to make sure that the supplies can certainly be repurposed, earlier than diving into the method.
Bartrum has been working within the jewellery trade for over a decade. “I began as a young person, taking lessons in junior highschool,” she recollects. She then went on to finish apprenticeships, whereas engaged on the bench, and eventually, transitioned to extra design-oriented roles earlier than launching Starling in 2015.
“After I began Starling, I didn’t see the sort of easy, delicate items at inexpensive costs, or what I imagine to be inexpensive costs,” she says. Funded with the assist of household and pals, she constructed a model that specialised in simplistic designs, utilizing post-consumer recycled supplies. In the present day, it’s a worthwhile firm, she notes, using a small group of three and herself, and pulling in additional over $1 million yearly.
However as she noticed the custom of a household jeweler waning away, and a rising curiosity in sustainability, Bartrum designed a brand new offshoot to the corporate that might mix sentimentality with extra eco-friendly practices. “The most important diamond mine we now have is at house, truly,” she says.
In reality, mines are reportedly working out or low in diamonds, main the trade to discover different avenues equivalent to lab-grown gems, or one thing even easier: repurposing what you’ve got. “It’s been reported now that the biggest diamond mines are working out. And but, diamonds are a few of the most versatile stones, that’s why they’re simple to reuse for generations. Bringing circularity to the jewellery trade is the way forward for the trade,” Bartrum argues.
Like Starling, Heirloom Revival items are made in Los Angeles, close to the corporate’s headquarters. Given the thriving jewellery manufacturing industries in New York and Los Angeles, Bartrum is eager to assist native artisans. Heirloom Revival can also be SCS licensed to make use of 100% post-consumer content material for each metallic and stones, referring to gadgets which were worn after which are being reused.
Beginning this September, prospects can choose to have their jewels transformed right into a Revival engagement ring, selecting from six designs that {couples} can customise with their very own stones. Or one can possibility for one thing from the Reminiscence Attraction Assortment, remodeling sentimental gold items into new necklaces and bracelets.
“It is our accountability as residents of Earth to do that. Our mission is purchase much less, make extra.”