According to EarthDay.org, 9.1 billion tons of plastic has been produced globally since the 1950s and the amount of plastic produced annually weighs roughly as much as humanity.

Since we know now that most plastic that has been produced is still around, largely as micro plastics polluting our water systems and clogging up landfills, Plastic Free July is a wonderful initiative.

It is a great way to evaluate the single-use plastics in our lives and swap these products out for more sustainable options. When most people think about these swaps, they consider things like straws, to-go containers, reusable coffee cups and water bottles, but plastic exists in such a wide range of products (like your t-shirt!), that making swaps in your wardrobe is another great way to help the planet.

At Ethos Kolekto, we place great focus on curating collections that are made by artisans that work in safe spaces, but we also care deeply for the environment and want to ensure that what we sell makes a minimal impact on the planet. With that in mind, the things that you’ll find in the shop are made from materials like: up-cycled wooden furniture, sari scraps, leather sub-products from the village meat processing, up-cycled bullet casings, wood, cotton threads, glass beads (including those made from broken glass bottles), locally-grown grasses, bone, horn, and up-cycled paper beads. Most of the metals used in our jewelry is recycled brass that comes from locally-sourced metal scraps. The only jewelry in our current collection that uses plastic are the Fabric Earrings, which have a base made from recycled milk cartons, so even those have a more gentle exchange with the planet than the plastic earrings you’ll readily find at big box retailers.

When the artisans get rolling, their creativity with sustainable resources knows no bounds!