Who: Alkemie; Los Angeles, CA

What: Starfish Cuff

Where: eConscious Market – $190

Why We Love It: The detail and texture of this one-of-a-kind cuff is so lifelike that you can almost feel the delicate arms of starfish tentatively encircling your wrist. Reminds of us days at the beach and the magic of discovering an elusive starfish.  Love the way this oversized cuff manages to exude an organic, ethereal, art nouveau and rocker vibe all at once. Click to continue »

Who: Trillium Artisans (Emily Baker); Portland, OR

What: Fox Earrings

Where: World of Good – $35

Why: Walking into artist Emily Baker’s studio is like walking into another world, filled with the most unlikely of treasures – cast off car parts, bits of recycled glass, sea urchin spikes… all of the inspiration for her unique jewelry. Love the way that she manages to transforms every day objects into something extraordinary. These Fox Earrings are crafted from old car parts and salvaged vintage brass chains for a lightweight pair of mod hoops.

Not only are these earrings sustainable, made from 50% post-consumer waste and without the use of toxic materials, but they are also people positive. Emily is a member of Trillium Artisans, a nonprofit economic development organization that supports low-income crafters in Portland, Oregon. Trillium Artisans is just one of hundreds of sellers featured on World of Good, a multi-seller marketplace that promotes people positive and eco-positive products from around the world. Visit World of Good to shop for gifts with meaning and check the Goodprint label to learn about the positive impact your purchases make.

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Who: Munted kowhai; Portland, OR

What: Admiral Necklace

Where: Munted kowhai – $35, SOLD OUT, (see similar -  Admiral Returns)

Why: Asymmetrical vintage inspired, layered chain necklaces are all the rage right now and this is definitely one of our favorites.  And each one is a complete one of a kind.

Designer Puiyi Tiffany Pangs makes each one by hand with a blend of collected vintage items (in this case a vintage copper Click to continue »

Who: Dawes Design; Sonoma County, CA

What: Stacking Stones

Where: Dawes Design – prices range from  $570 – $5075

Why We Love ‘Em: We absolutely adore this collection of rings from Dawes Design. Love that each piece looks equally as amazing when stacked together as they do on there own. Of course with so many gorgeous silhouettes, shapes and sizes it would be difficult to choose just one.  Would make life easier for that special someone in your life who would no longer have to worry about what to get you for birthdays, anniversaries, Columbus Day… just add another layer to the stack. Click to continue »

Who: Destiny Ray; Portland, OR

What: Half Hoops, Large

Where: Olio United – $60, also available in small for $45

Why We Love ‘Em: You cannot fully appreciate these earrings until you put them on, they just look amazing on. And, although they are 2.5″ long, they are not overpowering and go just as well with a t-shirt as they do with a cocktail dress.

Originally a one-off piece that Destiny designed for her own use, the gals at Olio United convinced Destiny to add the hoops to her collection. They are handmade so you may note some minor variations in size and curve, but that’s completely undetectable with the pair is split. Click to continue »

Who: Betsy & Iya;  Portland, OR

What: Shameless Love Earrings

Where: Etsy; $25 &  now through August 31st, get 20% off all Betsy & Iya when you enter code “Urban Sherp” in the message to seller section

Why We Love ‘Em: For her whimsical accessories, designer Betsy Cross (Iya is her big sis and her muse) recovers vintage trinkets, forgotten stock and lost gems and breathes new life into them. Betsy definitely has an eye for pieces worth saving – even her studio is a collection of salvaged goods with reclaimed wood, display cases, desks and stands. Click to continue »

Who: Choo Yilin; Thailand

What: Stackable Aquamarine Cocktail Rings

Where: etsy.com; $180 (a ‘stack’ consists of two 3x3mm rings and one 5x5mm)

Why: The beauty of stackable rings is that there are so many options – wear all three staggered any which way, or simplify your look and wear just one.

This stack is all about texture; from the checkerboard finish of the aquamarine stones to the hammered, scratched and twisted waves of recycled sterling silver for an unfussy but completely polished look. Click to continue »

Who: Joy O Designs; San Francisco, CA

What: Arc Drop Earrings

Where: Joy O Designs, $158

Why: Great pair of  simple, everyday-wear earrings.  This versatile pair from Joy O Designs can be worn from work to evening paired with everything from a v-neck T to a cocktail dress.

A beautifully handcrafted piece made from natural stone and recycled metal.  The imperfections and variations of the natural stones as well as the hand hammered recycled metal only make each pair more unique.  Designer Joy Opfer doesn’t overwork her materials but lets the natural beauty, and often natural imperfections of the stones, dark blue sapphire nuggets, in this case, shine through resulting in a timeless heirloom quality pieces.

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Who: Julia Failey, Chicago, IL

What: Butterfly Pendant Necklace

Where: Julia Failey.com, $190; also at NIMLI for $190, but keep an ey out for coupon codes…..

Why: Now you don’t have to choose between silver and gold, you can have them both. Love the delicate treatment of the butterfly wings, hammered threads of silver and gold intricately woven creating a lovely abstract pendant with a subtle nod to nature. And the design is executed with nature in mind; made of reclaimed, deoxidized sterling silver, care is taken to reduce the ecological impact of the manufacturing process. Click to continue »

Who: Melissa Joy Manning (MJM) – Oakland, CA

What: 3/4″ x 1 1/4″ Twisted Oval Hoop

Where: MJM.com, $65 for sterling silver, $275 for 14k gold

Why: Hoops will never go out of style, nonetheless, it is quite refreshing to see a update on an old classic, rather a more ladylike version of the hoop.  The delicately crafted twist is hammered to wafer thinness resulting in a more polished look than the standard hoop and can easily be dressed up or down. Each earring is hand made of 100% recycled metals, so no two are the same, but that just makes them all the more intriguing.

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