A little over a month ago, we received a Failure Fund grant to design and create sustainable wooden earrings and necklaces. Our primary goal for this semester was to iterate through multiple phases of prototyping to find a product that fit our vision so that when we return for the spring semester, we can focus heavily on marketing and branding. We began by laser-cutting many different geometric shapes out of sheets of wood. Next, we painted them to see what we liked and what we didn’t, and the conclusion we came to is the simpler the better. The designs we liked the most and hope to replicate and expand on in the coming months are beautiful because they display the simple beauty of geometry, bold colors, and natural materials. Although the earrings and necklaces are still a work in progress, we have a much better understanding of the process of their creation.

A step we look forward to taking in the future is using a sustainable wood which has been sourced ethically. We are already in contact with a community partner and artisan, who will hopefully guide us in a direction. Another goal is to create a brand that reflects our product. We plan to package our earrings using a seed paper–a paper that contains wildflower seeds so that when planted, a miniature garden grows. We want people to see our brand as positive, responsible, and constantly engaging with the community. Additionally, we will constantly be rethinking how we can make our product as sustainable as possible while maintaining a reasonable price.

Best,

Kat and Megan