For San Francisco-based jewellery brand Soko, “style is driven by a greater social purpose.”
Marketed as both an ethical jewellery brand and manufacturing platform, Soko seeks to combine a modern, on-trend aesthetic with global market access to artisan communities in Kenya.
Certified as a B-Corp, Soko aims to take a sustainable approach wherever possible so they work with artisans that use locally-sourced, eco-friendly materials. That is evidenced through the materials that much of their jewellery pieces are made out of.
All of the brass Soko uses is recycled, sourcing it directly from local markets and vendors. Similarly, they work exclusively with reclaimed cow horn and bone, which their artisans ethically procure through the food industry. The wood used by Soku is sourced from a partner in Nairobi that collects offcuts of unused wood.
Soko’s silver jewellery is actually made out of recycled brass and during the electroplating process, they reuse water for maximum efficiency. Their ceramic beads are from Kazuri, a fair trade collective in Kenya. These beads are formed out of hand-dug clay from Mount Kenya that is then handcrafted one piece at a time.
In order to directly connect with their artisans across Kenya, Soko created a platform dubbed “virtual factory.” The platform is specifically designed to provide equal opportunity to artisan entrepreneurs, helping them grow their businesses and profits. “As a decentralized manufacturing platform, we use technology to empower human capital and artisan entrepreneurship, not displace it,” reads Soko’s website.
Soko believes that there is an incredible amount of beauty and talent in Kenya. The problem is that the country’s artisan craft sector is one of the most marginalized, with artisans having no access to global economies and being unable to earn enough money to support their families. That is where Soko comes in. Through their virtual factory, they created a viable way to connect local Kenyan artisans with international markets.
The ultimate goal is to create opportunities for artisans in Kenya and to provide financial and artistic independence. Soko asserts that economic sovereignty is critical to long-lasting change, which is why their artisans earn five times more revenue than at the average workshop.
Today, Soko’s collection comprises all kinds of jewellery for the modern woman. Earrings, rings, necklaces, bracelets, and more can all be shopped online on Soko’s website or at one of their stockists.
Down below are some of the best from Soko’s current offerings.
All images in this article are courtesy of Soko.
