By Ella Ho Ching
You’ve probably seen rings all over your social media feeds ranging from colorful clay rings to silver rings that serve a little bit of edge. Whatever your taste may be, if you are looking for a way to bring sustainability into your jewelry box while also supporting small artists, spoon rings can be the perfect addition to your wardrobe.
“Spoon rings” are made from recycling the old tableware and molding them into beautiful, quality rings that spice up any outfit. Instead of letting preloved spoons waste space in thrift or vintage stores, spoon-ring artists breathe new life into these silverware pieces!
Local spoon ring artist Ke’arah Masten started making spoon rings in September 2020 when she saw a demand for quality, well-fitted rings amongst her friend group. More specifically because their store-bought jewelry was falling apart or not fitting properly on their fingers. Since then, she started selling spoon rings that are only made out of authentic silver or metal that doesn’t discolor.
“I saw a demand for rings when some friends and I weren’t finding our sizes in certain styles and even when we did, they would be a cheap metal that would discolor quickly,” Masten said. “So I found a way to make my own with metals that were easy to mold the way I wanted, kept their original quality and cost-efficient.”
Just like Masten, this hobby quickly turned into a business for many other spoon ring artists, including Northwest Nazarene University student Mckenzie Oakes. Owner of HandmadebyMckenzie. Mckenzie loves creating one-of-a-kind pieces for her customers that are also ethically sourced.
“It amazes me when I go to thrift stores and find so many pieces of silverware that I can repurpose into beautiful pieces of jewelry. There is nothing more satisfying than buying a 50 cent spoon and turning it into a sustainable story for someone to wear,” Oakes said.
With sustainable fashion alternatives on the rise, so are their price tags. However, small spoon ring artists like Masten and Oakes keep their rings at an affordable price point compared to regular rings sold by fast-fashion retailers. With quality products at a low cost, how could you say no to at least checking out what flatware artists have to offer?
With that being said, here are a few of my favorite spoon ring artists I’ve either purchased from or am keeping on my radar!
Eb’s Rings
Many spoon ring artists sell their jewelry directly off of Instagram, however Flagstaff-based artist Emma Barlett, has created a website where you can easily see an up-to-date list of what rings she has in stock. Bartlett offers both silver and gold rings, the majority of which are engraved with delicate floral designs. The two rings I’ve bought from her business are some of my favorite jewelry pieces I own.
Ke’s Rings
Based in Mesa, Arizona, Masten’s spoon-ring business offers some of the most affordable and distinctive jewelry I’ve seen from a local artist. Operating in drops with multiple mini-collections on their Instagram, Masten has a wide variety of rings to choose from ranging from simple bands to eclectic pieces.
Handmade by Mckenzie
Based in Redding, California, and Boise, Idaho, Oakes spends her summers crafting spoon rings to sell. However, during the school year she periodically offers embroidered wear and rings on her Instagram profile. When she is selling rings, she has one of the most unique collections I’ve encountered. Including finding state-specific spoons that she turns into beautiful, one-of-a-kind treasures.
Macro Rings
I have yet to personally buy from Macro rings, however, artist Sidney Misner’s spoon collection caught my attention the moment I stumbled upon her Instagram account! With both gold and silver products, Misner’s website has a lot to offer – including a detailed guide on how to find out your ring size!
If you’re looking for a way to start being a conscious consumer, buying spoon rings from small artists is a great place to start.
What these artists do is the epitome of what sustainable fashion should look like, instead of the constant greenwashing seen throughout the fashion industry. Contribute to helping the environment happily grow again while also supporting people’s passions! After all, being a sustainable fashion consumer has a nice ring to it.
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