I discovered Kyyote Jewelry at a small arts and crafts fair in Old Town Pasadena last weekend, where I was introduced to Kyyote Jewelry founder Amanda Loos and her beautifully curated collection of sustainable, handmade jewelry. I was drawn to the minimalist aesthetic of her work as well as the intricate details and pops of color found in her pieces. What drew me in for a closer look was my curiousity about the materials she used. The one material that surprised me the most? Porcupine quills! Some of the quills were hand-dyed in bright colors, some left their natural prickly brownish white. This gorgeous use of a natural material we might not ever associate with turning into jewelry really made me appreciate the creativity that comes with being a sustainable artist.

A blurb from the “About” section of her website explains Amanda’s materials into detail:

“KYYOTE is an eco-minded company, using recycled sterling silver from non-mined, reclaimed sources…. a variety of salvaged and recycled exotic woods (including cocobolo, ebony, black and white ebony, snakewood, kingwood, padauk, purpleheart, among others) and vintage plastics (including bakelite, lucite, acrylic and resin) along with handmade recycled sterling silver components, chain, and organic and humanely harvested feathers (including emu, pheasant, and partridge). Most recently, our collection has incorporated artisan collected and hand-dyed porcupine quills from the great state of Oregon.”

 This pair of earrings made me do a double take, and I have to admit that my ears aren’t even pierced! The Minimalist Quill Earrings (pictured below) What a gorgeous way to showcase the hand-dyed porcupine, and I love the clean angles of the sterling silver to complement the straight and narrow quill.

Another great pair of the porcupine quills (in their natural color) are these dangly Toketee Earrings:

And the collection is not just earrings, there are also beautiful necklaces, bracelets, and more, all made sustainably in Los Angeles and all one-of-a-kind!

Check out the Kyyote Jewelry online shop to see more, or come meet Amanda at Unique LA, an awesome independent design show/shopping event in downtown L.A. that features over 250 designers and artists! (You can find out more about the event on our site in the next few weeks.)