Member Article

Lockdown launch of sustainable jewellery retailer offers silver lining for eco-conscious consumers

Offering a range of affordable and environmentally friendly jewellery, a brand new British-based start-up has launched its ecommerce store during a national lockdown. Providing a sustainable alternative to fast fashion for eco-conscious consumers, every piece of Influenstar jewellery is made from recycled 925 silver and hand-finished in Europe.

Founded by Birmingham-based mother of two, Ruth Morris, last summer the eco-conscious brand was inspired by her passion for accessories and growing efforts to shop more consciously. Ruth saw a gap in the market for a middle-range jewellery brand that was stylish, yet sustainable; moving away from the detrimental effects that fast fashion has on the environment.

Having spent the first half of 2020 furloughed from her part-time role, Ruth decided to go it alone and developed the brand and strategy behind Influenstar, before launching in November. She comments:

“I was a teacher for 16 years, before leaving the professional to spend more time with my daughters, so the idea of running my own venture was originally really new to me. My sister runs an accountancy firm so has been invaluable in the process of setting up the business, but the rest for me was about my drive to create change.

I’ve always loved fashion and dressing up, but over the years I’ve educated myself more and more about how we can all protect the planet. We’ve seen a massive rise in people’s consciousness about single-use plastic but, actually, the process of silver mining is another example of the negative impact that humans are having on the environment. But it’s something that can be easily changed, if brands are more conscious and promote less fast fashion.“

The mumpreneur spent lockdown researching suppliers and then went on to launch the website during Black Friday weekend.

“My main aim was to offer a range of accessible recycled accessories that help to save the planet, but without compromising on quality and durability. I am so excited to have finally launched Influenstar and I’m excited to see what’s ahead in 2021. I want this to spark change in the accessories industry and encourage more consumers to think about what they buy and where it actually comes from,” Ruth adds.

Influenstar is available to buy online and aims to empower people to find their style, whilst also shopping sustainably. Stocking a range of earrings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets and rings; all pieces created with silver that has had a previous life. All of Influenstar’s jewellery is made using recycled silver, which omits the damaging mining and refining processes of extracting new resources from the earth. By skipping this process, Influenstar helps create less waste, cut down on C02 emissions, reduce water usage and other environmental impacts.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Holly Young .