SPOTLIGHT 市场聚焦 44 | JNA July/August 2024 Making brands sustainable After finishing her fashion degree in London in 2001, Jeanine Hsu, founder and creative director of niin, realised the scale of waste in the fashion industry and that something had to change. It was during a trip to the Philippines, where she watched fishermen’s wives collect driftwood from the sea, that Hsu’s passion for sustainability was cemented. “I was struck by this positivity in the community and how precious rare finds offered by the ocean are,” noted Hsu. “I made it my mission to recycle discarded or waste materials and craft them into unique designs.” Back then, Hsu approached one of her mentors who produces jewellery for the likes of LVMH about the possibility of using recycled gold but was met with scepticism. By the time niin’s first fine jewellery collection was launched almost a decade after, one of this mentor’s biggest clients made having a Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) certificate a prerequisite to continue working with him. “In the end, I got my way. Eight years later, but better late than never,” shared Hsu. “I am proud to say that all of niin’s fine jewellery pieces are RJC-certified and made with recycled 18-karat gold.” Hsu founded niin in Hong Kong in 2009. At present, the brand sells to more than 30 locations around the world and the goal is to grow even bigger globally over the next five years. It also relocated to Bali, Indonesia in 2022. The path to sustainability, however, is not a walk in the park. According to Hsu, being sustainable does not equal efficiency as it is more time-consuming and expensive, hence it is not always a first choice. “That is, until enough of us push for it and make it the norm. It starts with education. It is our responsibility as designers and industry leaders to think outside the box and be changemakers for the well-being of our planet and its inhabitants,” she added. Journey to sustainability At niin, every raw material used in the jewellery pieces has a purpose beyond aesthetics. For instance, “wood is grounding, shells are purifying, and quartz is awakening, and more,” explained Hsu. Its production methods, meanwhile, involve sourcing materials with minimal environmental impact like recycled metals, Fair Trade-gemstones and lab-grown diamonds (LGDs). It likewise prioritises eco-friendly methods such as reduced water and energy usage, and ethical labour practices, shared Hsu. To further support its sustainability agenda, niin has been collaborating with Carat* London on its range of so-called Gentle Diamonds or LGDs. | Bernardette Sto. Domingo 杜明高 | All jewellery pieces by niin 所有珠宝作品均为niin出品 From left: Jewellery pieces from niin x Gentle Diamonds collection; VIDA Cage ring in gold-plated sterling silver with yellow rutilated quartz and smokey quartz; and VIDA Amazonite Duo earrings in gold-plated brushed sterling silver with amazonite stones (左起)niin x Gentle Diamonds系列珠 宝；VIDA Cage镀金纯银戒指， 镶嵌黄色金红石和烟晶；VIDA Amazonite Duo镀金刷纹纯银 耳环，镶嵌天河石 Building a brand anchored on sustainability may sound daunting but it is the first crucial step to making socially responsible enterprising a norm in the jewellery industry, shared Jeanine Hsu, founder and creative director of sustainability-driven brand, niin. 以可持续发展为主导的品牌niin，它的创始人兼创意总监Jeanine Hsu分享说，建立一个以可持续 发展为基础的品牌可能令人望而生畏，但这是使社会责任企业成为珠宝业规范的关键。 建立可持续发展品牌
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