-  Ariana Whittingham Interviews Paven Rayat, Designer & Owner of BUVY Jewellery for Ecocious Mag.

Ecocious family, please welcome our newest partnership, Buvy Jewellery! I had the pleasure of chatting with Paven Rayat, Designer and owner of Buvy Ethical Jewellery to talk all things ethical/sustainable when it comes to the jewellery industry, and I was absolutely shocked!

Her journey from working in fast fashion to launching a truly ethical and sustainable jewellery brand is no small feat, I explore all earth angels and earth lovers to digest these 6 questions with Paven and think back to times purchasing or browsing "fast jewellery."

Ariana: What does "sustainability" mean to you, personally?

For me, sustainability is intertwined with compassion. Compassion for the planet, compassion for our communities and compassion for the next generation - taking action on how we produce and consume now, will make our beautiful world a more sustainable place to live in the future.

Ariana: Walk us through your journey that took you to the point of embarking on launching your own ethical, luxury, jewellery brand, Buvy!

When I first moved from the UK to Australia in 2016, I began working for a fast-fashion accessories brand and although that role was not for me, my time there really solidified my values. I became crystal clear about what mattered to me and how I wanted to move forward as a designer.

It saddens me to think that pieces are literally thrown away in the name of out-of-date fashion and trends. I wanted to create pieces that stood the test of time in both design and in the process of how they are made. One of the qualities that has always drawn me to jewellery, is the sentimentality and memories each piece carries.

I made a vow to myself to create a brand that would produce pieces that were ethically and sustainably made, and to design classic pieces that can be worn for years to come. We focus on crafting limited, season-less collections to minimise overconsumption and overproduction. Our philosophy is to create timeless and high-quality pieces to encourage long-lasting staples and better buying habits.

Ariana: So, why the jewellery industry? What is there that we don't already know about? 

We’re all clued up on how much the clothing industry impacts the environment, but the way jewellery is made can also be extremely harmful.

Plating processes can produce an unfathomable amount of waste, from toxic fumes, chemicals and metal particles to excess water and unsafe working conditions. The coating process we use is a modern method called PVD (physical vapor deposition) and it is both economical and environmentally friendly - producing no byproduct waste apart from the electricity the machine consumes. This process creates an extremely durable coating making our jewellery, waterproof, tarnish resistant and suitable for sensitive skin - these elements alone increase the longevity of each piece.

Ariana:  Please clue us in about your manufacturer, ethics & how they source? We know this is something you take extra care with - but our readers would also love to know your process!

Our overseas manufacturer is based in Bangkok, Thailand and they are recognised as a Green factory. They commit to a sustainability strategy that incorporates saving water, energy efficiency, reducing waste and reducing the unnecessary use of raw materials - whilst holding strict prevention on pollution and environmental toxicity.

We care about the people who create and craft our jewellery. Our factory meets the highest standard of ISO certification, covering workers’ rights, safety and environmental concerns.

All materials are ethically sourced with regular evaluations of suppliers to ensure they hold the same values, ethics and practices for material sourcing and sustainability.

Ariana: Where do you visualise BUVY, 5 years from now?

I would love to transition into producing solid gold pieces that really can be the ultimate heirloom - to be loved and passed down for generations. Although we offer a no-frills eco-friendly packaging option, I would love to still be able to provide that special touch with environmentally friendly packaging. We promise to learn, evolve and make continuous improvements toward more sustainable and eco-conscious practices.

Ariana: If someone reading this needed an extra push into being <<more>> sustainable, what would you say to help motivate them?