INTERVIEW #47 AMPHI COLLECTION
Based in: Chester, UK
Founded in: 2021
Founded by: Emily Dunlop & Joanne Kapur
Stores: www.amphicollection.com and currently ship domestically as well as to the rest of Europe, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Price range: £75 - £275.
Why we love them: A wholesome brand with transparency at its core. Investing in jewelry from Amphi Collection is safe, Emily has made sure to communicate every single step of her creations and only produce using fair materials and ethical working conditions, lovely if you ask us. We have fallen in love with Edit 01, the first collection and we can’t wait to see Edit 02, currently being designed, exciting. And just like Emily stated in this interview: “2022 is set to be a big one!” - Oh yes, we couldn’t agree more!
What is Amphi Collection and why did you start?
The idea for Amphi Collection was born in the first lockdown as I was afforded some much-needed time and space to reflect and gain some perspective. The morning commute was replaced with walks in the countryside and the headspace to think about what I wanted to do with my life. I was 29, I had started a new job three months prior, nevertheless, I could still hear the voice inside willing me to start my own brand.
With a background in PR and communications mixed with an avid interest in sustainable fashion, style and manufacturing, I used the time to focus on finding a gap in the market that centred around responsible sourcing and ethical production and found the jewellery sector to have a gaping hole when it came to transparency and ethics.
As my mother shares the same ethos and values, we joined forces and put pen to paper to remind ourselves what our passions in life were, what was important to us, what did we want our days to look like and what could we bring to the table that wasn’t already there.
It took 18 months to research and secure a supply chain that could adhere to strict guidelines on how materials are sourced, the ethical standards of the materials themselves, ensuring diversity across the supply chain as well as making sure staff were paid the real living wage and not just the minimum which is in direct contrast to the industry at large. After a long and challenging search, we’re proud to validate our standards with ethical assurances in place throughout our supply chain with companies such as Sedex, Amfori, Fairmined and the Responsible Jewellery Council.
Committed to longevity and reducing waste, we work on a small scale using recycled sterling silver and 18ct Fairmined gold certifying gold is traceable to empowered responsible artisanal and small-scale mining organisations. The Fairmined standard is world leading in its ability to deliver positive impact to the miners and their communities and is an assurance that no child labour, human harm or environmental damage has been caused in mining for gold.
Our debut 4-piece collection is inspired by the lessons learned in lockdown that are harmonious with the lessons taught by the ocean. Lessons include those in strength, gratitude, connection and resilience, with the jewellery available in both recycled sterling silver or recycled sterling silver under a 2.5 micron layer of Fairmined gold. In 2022 will see a few additional pieces being added to edit 01 before edit 02 is released later that year.
How are the products produced and where do you source the material from?
Our jewellery is mainly manufactured just outside of Bangkok, Thailand. Our manufacturer sources recycled sterling silver through Amfori who validate that the recycled sterling silver originated from Thailand also. After finalising the design sketches, a 3D CAD video is created to give us a full 360 angle view of the pieces. Once happy, a wax resin model is made of all designs using a 3D printing machine.
Next comes the casting. It’s at this stage the wax is melted away and is replaced with the recycled sterling silver metal. The metal then dries into the shape of our designs. Finally comes the assembly and polishing stage which is where our manufacturers will make the final aesthetic adjustments.
The sterling silver pieces are then shipped to us at our head office for a stock check before we send the pieces to the Birmingham Assay Office for laser stamping before shipping the jewellery on to our final supplier to do the gold plating just outside of the Cotswolds. Our supplier is one of the only companies in the world who plate using Fairmined gold. They apply a 2.5 micron layer of 18ct Fairmined gold which gives the pieces a luxurious, quality feel and creamy gold appearance.
The Fairmined gold used in this process is sourced from Columbia and comes with a certificate again to validate the origin of materials and ethical standards of how the mine is operated and how the miners are treated.
Where does Amphi Collection find its inspiration?
I am very fortunate to be surrounded by strong women in my life. From my mother, my grandmothers, my sisters, my friends, my extended family. I see so much strength in women. From actors to activists, poets to musicians. Women play a huge influence in my life, as does the environment. Growing up in North Wales I spent a lot of time outdoors, at friend’s houses who lived on farms or adventuring in local forests and parks. We are extremely privileged here in the UK, and yet so much of the impact we create in the West is physically seen in the developing world which is just devastating.
We’re in an era of real change, and I am hugely motivated by where that change is heading. People have realised that small actions make a huge difference and that we don’t need to wait for politicians to make those changes for us. If we can play even a small part in bringing about real change, from making the jewellery industry more transparent and accountable to influencing real social change, we are here for it. 2020 taught us we can be the change we want to see, and we’re more than ready to rise to that challenge.
What have been and are the major challenges?
The first challenge is raising awareness about the ethics in gold and jewellery manufacturing at large. During the last two years of planning, designing and developing Amphi it become more more and more apparent to me just how difficult it will be to reach true transparency and circularity when it comes to product. Because whilst the fashion industry is rightly coming under immense pressure to reduce its environmental footprint, the big players in the jewellery space who are not transparent about their heavy reliance on polluting mines and carbon-intensive manufacturing don’t seem to be facing this same level of scrutiny. And its scrutiny which leads to change.
We need more reporting on unsustainable and unethical practices in mining for new gold as well as how green-washing prone brands are actually doing things. And finally, finding time can be challenging. I work full-time alongside running Amphi so constantly trying to find more hours in the day, but it’s true when they say if you find something you love doing, you’ll never work a day in your life.
What has been the largest gain up until now?
We made a conscious decision to market the brand and bring people into the journey from initial conception through to launch and it’s been hugely gratifying to have grown a small but mighty community on Instagram who believe in what we do. Not only from a networking perspective, but from a fiscal view too. We initially launched with pre-orders, and it’s been amazing to see a steady flow of orders coming through. This was huge in giving us insights in what metals to include in the final order, which designs were likely to sell well and so on.
When launching a business, it’s hugely unnerving. You don’t know if the market will be susceptible to what you want to create. No amount of research or strategy will give you that concrete evidence. Then comes the pricing worries. “Have I priced right? Will consumers be willing to pay the extra price for ethical materials such as Fairmined gold?”. When you see orders come through and receive such positive feedback, it definitely eases the nerves and fuels the drive to persevere. Running a business can be challenging, but the rewards already far outweigh the negatives and we believe the jewellery industry is gearing up for a significant change. 2022 is set to be a big one!
What's the best thing about Amphi Collection?
Our transparency. Outside of Amphi I’m a conscious consumer, so it was non-negotiable that when building a brand I was going to do everything I could to create products that cause as little negative impact to the environment and people as possible. It’s taken 18 months and hundreds of emails and Zoom calls to actually find a manufacturer who had the certificates, licenses and accreditations to prove their word to be true when it came to product alone. And that’s because we always knew we were going to be as transparent and open as possible to our audience. I personally needed my questions to be clearly answered, for example, do they employ fairly with women representation at every level? Did they pay their staff well and provide good working conditions? Could they be transparent about where and how materials are ethically sourced? And what evidence could they produce to back it all up?
We’re not perfect but we’re on a journey of progression. When it comes to packaging, we have purposely minimised the use of materials that are most likely to go unused and we've made sure that everything is either recycled, compostable or both. For example, the exterior packaging is 100% compostable and recyclable. The jewellery boxes use FSC certified card and paper and the insert is made using natural organic wool meaning everything is 100% decomposable. Even the tape we use to seal the box is made from recycled FSC-certified paper and is water activated meaning it's fully compostable and plastic-free.
Earlier this year we joined forces with Earthly to offset the carbon produced as individuals within the team as a direct response to known carbon dioxide emissions, meaning we're a climate-positive team. As well as that, we also work with Earthly to plant two trees with every order as a thank you for helping make this dream a reality. Our mission with Amphi is to be the change we want to see in the jewellery industry. To shape a kind, balanced and transparent industry that gives back what it takes and more.
What's next?
Designing Edit 02, joining 1% for the planet in January as well as adding more charity partners into our activity in 2022 and finally starting the journey towards carbon neutrality.
