COTO: Sartorial and Sustainable

So where would you be able to find a Corozo nut, briar root, coconut and fallen rack antlers?

A. in backyard of a home in the Palm dessert;
B. any neighborhood Whole Foods; or
C. the wardrobe of a gentleman living a sartorial and sustainable lifestyle.

Well, the answer is C for COTO which creates men’s fashion and accessories that promote a sartorial (def: of or related to tailored clothing) and sustainable lifestyle as well as integrates materials that benefit local communities and the environments in which they thrive. COTO designs and develops cuff links out of materials such as coconuts and Corozo nut which is a nut from a tall palm tree that grows in South America. “Purchasing Corozo aids in the protection of South American rain forests by giving local communities an incentive to cultivate it instead of harvesting old growth forests.” COTO also makes cuff links from fallen rack antlers recovered from the forest floor (which is naturally occurring and harms no animals), recycled paper, and antique buffalo nickels (US$40-95). Their selection of summer inspired ties (US$120) are woven with all natural silk or wool boasting AZO free dyes (and contain no hazardous by-products such as carcinogens). These chic accessories are a far cry from old school “natural” fashion (in other words gentlemen... no turquoise rope necklaces here) and reflect the modern influences of their New York City urban designers.

Reforesting the World, One Shiny Accessory at a Time

I've lived in Los Angeles for nearly five years but I'm still discovering this vast city. Last weekend I finally visited the world renown fashion district in downtown LA, and one of the my most interesting stops along the way was the jewelry district. In this larger-than-life store, as I walked within ear-shot of a sales person standing behind dazzling glass cases filled with tens of thousands of pieces of jewelry, I was asked what I was looking for, what was the occasion, and told everything was 50-60-70% off. It was more than overwhelming; and I didn't walk out with anything more than glossy eyes and a spinning head. With so many choices, it's easy to find yourself coveting something sparkly (just ask my five year old daughter). But it made me wonder - is there a better option to tame our primal consumer desire to seek the "best" product for the lowest price?

Hopefully, the philosophy (and philanthropy) of this blog will continue to influence consumers as well as businesses, to combine our love of beauty and design with giving back to a worthy cause. If you're in the market for jewelry, John Hardy is a fine example of an artisan who mixes philanthropy with his craft and his company.

John Hardy jewelry is inspired by nature and seeks to "reforest the world, one island at a time." The company's sustainable advertising program calculates the company’s carbon emissions and plants a corresponding number of bamboo seedlings on Nusa Penida, a small impoverished island off the coast of Bali. The company also provides local families with bamboo seedlings and training in the sustainable cultivation of bamboo, providing an opportunity to work in and improve their community; and gives every farmer who is willing to plant 400 seedlings on his own land a cistern for catching and storing rainwater. As of last year, over 25 acres have been planted with various species of bamboo.

Now you can also participate in this reforesting initiative. 10% of the retail price of John Hardy's bamboo-inspired sterling silver jewelry will go towards planting bamboo trees in Bali and can be found online at Saks Fifth Avenue (US$495 for set of 5; $350 for set of three). The five bangle set (right, exclusively sold at Saks) will plant 16 bamboos. The woven bamboo styled ring (US$350, above) will plant 11 bamboos. You have several choices of different bamboo-inspired bracelets, rings and earrings to choose from. While the number of choices of these few, hand-crafted pieces pales in comparison to the hundreds of choices you may have elsewhere, I've come to realize that the choices we have is sometimes less significant than the choices we make.