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EDITÉUR PLUS
ASHLEY HEATHER An article written by Kimberly Grossmann
“ I believe in creating . I believe in quality . I believe in honesty to materials . I believe in doing things differently . I believe companies can do more , be more .” Ashley Heather incorporates this passion in all of her designs and creations . Jewellery , proudly South African - hand-crafted using age-old silversmithing techniques combined with contemporary designs .
From a young age , Ashley Heather has always known her passion lies in creating , although she stumbled upon jewellery making by accident after visiting a friend who just happened to be melting a crucible full of silver . From then on , she was hooked . Not only is the jewellery exquisitely beautiful , but they are also manufactured with recyclable materials – with the silver and gold reclaimed from circuit boards . Ashley Heather states this to be one of the most exciting parts , along with the design , the manufacture and even the hours and hours of admin that go into running a small business .
“ I truly believe that sustainable materials need to be supported by good quality design and uncompromising craftmanship otherwise we are just filling the market with more ‘ stuff ’ to contribute to our ‘ throwaway culture ’,” Heather speaks of how this passion for incorporating e-waste is part of her values and ethics . She states that she knew she wanted to work within the medium she loved , but without compromising her values . Heather ’ s jewellery is not for ‘ one sort ’ of person . She mentions that it is her greatest hope that their work resonates with many different people for many different reasons and that the idea of truly sustainable design can become a greater topic of conversation .