A story of travel, reflection, inspiration, love and dreaming of a better future...

That first spark

My dream of sustainable and ethical jewellery first surfaced when I made my first travels through South America, close to 20 years ago. I always loved nature. Always in awe of the ability of trees to completely grow back every year, and stronger. Still now, I feel most at home walking on a beach (the shoreline in particular) or through a dense and leafy forest. Back then, being in the Amazon rainforest for a month, totally changed my life and my outlook.

Everything and everyone I met there, taught me a life lesson. On how to coexist with nature, how to share with others, how to feed and heal yourself from the plants that grow around you, and how to make beautiful jewels and clothing from what is readily available to us in nature. I felt like nature and the people were one. 

Inspiration and love

Deeply inspired knowing that anything we create could - and should - be totally natural, once back home I started making home decor and small pieces of jewellery from items I would find out in the country or at the beach. Over the last 15 years, I have designed and created many things. From basket making, to tapestries, I was focussed and determined to create entirely natural decorations or to connect the organic with the inorganic (like a recycled metal or waste material with wood, leaves or shells). 

Stuck in a soul destroying, but highly financially successful corporate job, I was part of the establishment. The daily grind. I had no idea how to get out, other than that I had to. I was scared and without a plan I remained where I was.

But then, in 2018 everything changed. It was almost Christmas and my son James was born during the height of full moon. His birth and my ability to not only grow but also delivery a child onto this world, released some true inner goddess feelings. If I could do this, grow and give live to a human child, I could also overcome my fears and choose my heart's passions.

Soon after, Lunar James was born too. Strengthened by the love for my baby boy I finally felt the courage to pursue my passion: to create jewellery. 

A better future

Lunar James is a sustainable jewellery brand - inspired by nature and on a journey to preserve nature’s beauty. Inspired by nature in its widest sense, there is also a deep sense of spirituality within what I do. Lunar James is about connection, the connection between us and nature, nature and us, and all living beings. We are one, and nature and spirituality are in my view two sides of the same coin. 

In an aim to reconnect with ancient and more artisan ways of living, the materials used in our designs are predominantly natural and organic. Any other materials used are recycled or up cycled (like our metals and fabrics). We apply a strong zero-plastic policy, meaning there is no plastic - or any similar compound - to be found in any of our products. 

This passion for our planet also applies to our gift wrapping and packaging, which is all either recyclable or bio-degradable. We continue to seek out new sustainability practices to keep on reducing our eco-footprint, and aim for 100% biodegradable packaging by 2023.

Life is a continuous journey of experiences, learning and improving. I take this to heart at Lunar James, and always aim to improve my skills, creations and sustainable practices. Our planet and all her beautiful living beings require this from us so that we can all keep on living this journey. In balance we coexist. 

Much love,

Ari - x