Sustainability & Ethics

Saudade Collective hands sustainability
Saudade Collective stain

We deeply care about the quality of our products and its durability. However, as a sustainability-forward company, we believe that a truly conscious brand doesn’t harm either people or planet.

As ecology and the environment become critical aspects of modern luxury, Saudade stands for ethical, precious, and qualitative products; faithful to a sustainable view of life. Therefore, it is a central part of our mission to uphold durability and ethics throughout the design, manufacturing and trading of our “glocally-inspired” collections.

Fair and safe production

At Saudade Collective, we endeavour to operate in an ethically and durable manner and believe in the right to fair and safe workplace conditions. We team up with local and international artisans, home industries and workshops, to create and curate unexpected, beautiful keepsakes. Unfortunately there is no universal standard that can be used to define whether working conditions are ethical or not. So, through interviews with the workplaces, chats with the artisans and observations, we ensure that everyone along the way is treated with dignity.

This means, for instance, that our makers are provided fair pay. We also ensure that they work in a safe working environment and within regular working hours. In order to uphold sustainability and ethics during the whole process, we rely on open and transparent relationships within our Collective. Curious about the designers and artisans that make our Saudade keepsakes? Meet the makers.

Durable and responsibly-made products

Besides operating in an ethically responsible manner we also place sustainability high on our agenda. We believe that traceability – the knowledge of where a product came from, who made it and how – shouldn’t be a luxury, but a standard. That’s why we built Saudade from the ground up, working directly with every step of our supply chain. We focus on three areas:

 

  • the use of recycled or up-cycled instead of new materials
  • we avoid the use of single-use plastic 
  • we do not support factory-made mass production

 

The use of recycled or up-cycled instead of new materials 

For example, we create quality jewellery made from recycled gold. Giving a new meaning and purpose to existing precious materials. We consider it to be a reminder of our roots; to work with these materials that were once created by nature over an immense amount of time.

 

We avoid the use of single-use plastic 

Our in-store and e-commerce packaging are made from recycled or regenerative fibres and are 100% recyclable, printed with water-based ink and assembled with biodegradable adhesives. Additionaly, our productlabels are printed on Growing Paper, which is 100% natural, 100% biodegradable and contains different kinds of seeds for our customers to plant in the soil and germinate into flowers.   

We do not support factory-made mass production

Furthermore, we exhibit the virtues of the all-important handmade production, which humanizes consumption of the responsibly-made as opposed to mass production in the industrial process.

Timeless by nature and timeless by design

Our Saudade keepsakes are not seasonal but made to last a lifetime. Timeless in design and faithful to a sustainable view of life. From recycled gold to the eco-friendly packaging made from biodegradable materials.

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Ineke van der Werff
by Jet van Gaal Photography 

Work in progress

Still, we continuously challenge ourselves to find new ways to add better value to the process. By reducing our impact and supporting projects that focus on regenerative processes. As well as implementing ways for improvement and sustainable work practices within our Collective. Above all, we ensure what we make is high quality and made to last. Step by step, we find more ways to produce products in a virtuous way. Curating artisans techniques and art, in harmony with nature.

In this endeavour let us be bold, let us be brave and let us be together. For more information or if you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to send an e-mail.