I'm taking a break from Sibling to focus on my health and re-evaluate the future of my business. The online shop is currently unavailable. If you'd like to get in touch, please email infosiblingwares@gmail.com
I started Sibling as a way to make sense of my need to create, and the urge to do better for our planet in an industry rife with ecological and social injustice.
A season-less jewellery line of pieces I craft by hand, with a natural aesthetic; imperfections exposed and embraced. Natural and repurposed materials are curated to create a holistic experience of tactility and connection to the natural world.
Acknowledging the ecological and social shortfalls in the jewellery industry, I take a considered approach with the aim of limiting harm through my practices. I aim to address some of the smaller scale discomforts, raise awareness of the larger scale harm caused in the industry, whilst constantly striving to improve on my own practices.
With a holistic approach to Sibling, I hope to explore possibilities beyond the expected, and curate an experience that celebrates the natural world and our inter-connectedness within it.
Sarah x
VALUES
I
RESPECT FOR PEOPLE & PLANET
II
OPENNESS
I understand how vital it is to find businesses worthy of your trust. Knowing who you can turn to, who aligns with your values, without having to tirelessly research them, is a priceless and too rare a thing.
It’s this need to trust that drives me to provide the same for my customers; to be honest and open in all areas of Sibling. This doesn’t mean it’s perfect, but I am constantly trying to improve wherever I can.
For my customers who want a deeper understanding of my practice, please get in touch to view the traceability document, developed for transparency about my work.
Sibling is led by the principle that my actions should be ecologically and socially sound.
It is important to me that by supporting my practice, you also create benefits for others through my giving back initiative.
Sibling sustainable packaging is made almost entirely from hemp; a plant which when growing leaves the soil healthier and in better condition than when it was sown. Find out more >
Season-less and trend-less; I design with longevity in mind, in harmony with my belief in making pieces of quality to last, which transcend a single moment in time.
I am exploring the use of natural materials in my jewellery to further limit any potential conflict sources in my pieces.
Designed in good conscience, and made sustainably; the precious metals I use are recycled from several sources including jewellery, ‘out-dated’ electronics and automotive fuel cells, as well as my own scrap. The small UK workshop and production house that I source my metals from have traceability of these metals, to verify they don't originate from conflict areas or include any newly mined material.
I aim to source as many materials and supplies as possible from small, UK-based eco-conscious businesses to support those with a like-minded ethos.
By handling as many processes as possible in-house, I am able to control and minimise waste.
Each piece of Sibling jewellery is handcrafted in my home studio where all electricity comes from renewable sources.
III
LEARN, EVOLVE,
DO BETTER
IV
ESTABLISH PROBLEMS, EXPLORE ALTERNATIVES
There are a number of deeply rooted issues in the jewellery industry which range in significance from uncomfortable to use and wear, to catastrophic for our planet and people. I aim to address issues by seeking alternative, environmentally and socially responsible solutions.
I use only solid precious metals, not plated, due to the difficulty in future recycling of plated pieces and the extra energy and harmful chemicals required in the plating process.
I craft my own fixings and fastenings to ensure traceability of the precious metals I use, as well as making them easier and more comfortable to use.
I work slowly because everything is deeply considered. This is also one of the reasons my work is season-less.
Currently, I ship only within the UK due to the environmental impact of international shipping. According to Transport and Environment, shipping is on route to contribute 10% of all global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. More Information > I have made this decision to ensure my practices continue to align with Sibling's values, right the way through to the end of my order fulfilment. I hope this can change when the International Maritime Organisation begin to act on their responsibility to reduce their emissions.
I use botanical inks to handwrite and stamp my stationary for a natural approach, because printing with even the most sustainable printing inks available (soy & vegetable) aren't as 'green' as printing houses or ink manufacturers would have us believe. Demand for soy has been linked to deforestation, and vegetable ink production has minimal traceability. Using botanical inks with a handful of all-natural ingredients, handmade in small quantities in the UK allows me to ensure I always know whats in the ink I use and that it can safely biodegrade on Sibling stationary.
My stationary and packaging is made from hemp, and I only include what is absolutely essential in my packaging to minimise waste whilst ensuring anything that has served it's purpose is biodegradable.
I believe tastes go beyond gender; my designs are not gender specific.
I aim to continually question my practice to ensure I am doing the best I can to align with my values.
Before implementing anything new it is heavily researched, followed by long discussions between head and heart to establish whether it meets the high standards I set myself and my practice. These decisions can take a long time to make, because nothing is ever black and white.
I strive to act in the best way I can with the knowledge I have at all stages of my practice. Improvement, not perfection.
GIVING BACK
I believe that your purchase should create benefits that reach beyond you and I.
For every purchase made, 5% of the profit will be donated to one of the following two charities.
CLIENT EARTH
Client Earth is a charity working globally to effect climate action using the power of the law. Working in over 50 countries, Client Earth dedicate their efforts on the most pressing of environmental challenges, creating systemic change by taking governments and corporations to court over their failings, shaping new laws to protect our earth and all it's inhabitants, as well as making the law more accessible to put the power back in our hands. Find out more >
REWILDING BRITAIN
Rewilding Britain is a charity employing natural climate solutions to tackle the climate crisis and restore the once thriving ecosystems of Britain. As many of our wildlife populations are crashing, protecting, restoring and regenerating the biodiversity of our islands has never been more critical. Rewilding Britain works by inspiring grassroots movement through research, education, advocacy and supporting people to take action. Find out more >
MY PRACTICE
I begin with a concept; this is usually the seed of an idea of something that I want to explore. I’ll start to play around with form and texture in wax or clay, often sampling ways to use the medium that I haven't tried before. I combine this with sketch work, and a little writing to try to make sense of, and give voice to what is coming to the forefront. I work this way, back and forth until I land on something that resonates with me.
I sculpt in wax using hot and cold techniques, welcoming ‘imperfections’ as I go. It’s often these features that bring life and character to a piece.
A small UK workshop and production house works with the age-old technique of lost-wax casting to cast the pieces into form in traceable recycled silver or gold.
When I receive the cast forms, a lot of work is needed to clean up and finish each piece. I do this in my home studio. Depending on the design or collection, this may include stone setting, creating fastenings and fixings, soldering and finishing.
Finally the piece will be sent to Birmingham Assay Office (BAO) for authenticating Find out more >
My pieces are either one-of-a-kind, made to order, or in small batches to minimise waste.
I do almost everything in house, such as photography (and at times, modelling), web design, making my pieces, materials research and everything else in between. The only processes I don’t undertake in-house are the casting of pieces (as my current home studio setting isn’t suitable) and hallmarking, which must be carried out by one of the 4 UK assay offices. Although Sibling is a one-woman affair, I couldn’t do it without the love and support of my amazing family.
MATERIALS
TRACEABLE RECYCLED SILVER & GOLD
HEMP FABRIC POUCH
Each jewellery piece is housed within a protective pouch, designed and made in-house from organic vintage hemp fabric, with a hemp yarn tie, and finished with a GOTS Certified organic cotton thread.
The fabric originates from the Ukraine, hand-woven circa 1910-1930 intended for use as clothing or home textiles. It has not been dyed or bleached, avoiding any chemical processing. Softened by time, but still highly durable, this beautifully tactile, once dormant 100 year old fabric has been given a new lease of life, housing and protecting Sibling jewellery. More on Hemp >
Waste precious metals are repurposed into Sibling jewellery. Recycled silver and gold are cast into form through the age-old technique of lost-wax casting by a small UK based casting house. These metals have the exact same properties as 'fresh metal' they just don’t contain any newly mined material.
The practices involved in mining cause significant damage to our planet and the lives of those directly involved in the practice, through the use of highly toxic chemicals and the devastation of the environment.
‘Waste’ silver and gold, from sources such as former automotive fuel cells and ‘out-dated’ electronics, are prevented from entering landfill, and repurposed into Sibling jewellery. The source of each metal and it’s earlier use is verified to ensure it doesn’t originate from conflict areas or include any newly mined material. What's more, because each piece of Sibling wares is in solid silver or gold (I don’t offer plated metals), each piece can easily be recycled again and again in the future.
HEMP FIBRE
Each Sibling order is protected within a nest of raw hemp fibre; a natural material which provides excellent protection for your piece of Sibling jewellery as it makes it's way to you. You can re-use this fibre as animal and bird nesting material, or return it to the earth in your compost bin to biodegrade. More on Hemp >
HEMP CARD & BOTANICAL INK
Sibling stationary uses hemp card with an organic furrowed texture. Maintaining it's beautiful natural colouration, it has not been bleached or dyed, avoiding unnecessary chemical processing. More on Hemp >
Sibling stationary is handwritten and hand-stamped for a more natural approach, and to limit unnecessary energy consumption and harmful chemicals. Oak Galls are gathered, and along with rain water and other natural ingredients form a deep brown ink, handmade in the UK. This further ensures that when Sibling stationary has served it's purpose, it is biodegradable, returning to earth as nature intended.
ABOUT SARAH
Sarah is a Designer Maker led by her desire to find a better way.
After studying Design at University of Leeds, she went into the workplace in a number of design roles, going on to win an award for her work. All the while, she was teaching herself to make jewellery in any spare time she could find.
After several years working in industry and witnessing her superior's lack of care and compassion towards people and our planet, workplace after workplace, her health began to suffer. She took the decision to leave behind her design role in Manchester, and after a long journey back to health, the vision for Sibling was born.
It took 3 years to bring her first pieces to market, extensively researching every decision for environmental and social impact, testing and trialing as she went, and saving any spare penny she had to invest in her dream.
She credits her practice as her respite through tough times. A way to lose herself amidst the chaos.
Sarah is very family oriented, her sister and brother among some of her keenest supporters. Naming her practice Sibling is a token of her love and tribute to her family, her practice is intrinsically linked to her loved ones.
In her brand and bespoke jewellery pieces she works slowly, with intention from her home studio in Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire where she lives with her partner and more recently, their dog. She loves to explore the surrounding moorland and landscapes that so frequently inspire her works.
