A PAIR of business-oriented sisters from London have taken the phrase “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” to a whole new level.
The two sisters turn discarded gold from old iPhones into beautiful metallic jewelry pieces, making up to £25,000, or about $33,676.
Karen and Alice Chave are the co-founders of IncadorJam Press/Incador Jam Press/IncadorIncador jewelry is made using discarded gold from old iPhones[/caption] Jam Press/IncadorIncador sells a variety of handcrafted pieces, including rings and earrings[/caption]Karen and Alice Chave, aged 24 and 26, turned an idea into a successful business.
After discovering that only 22% of all technology is recycled, the duo decided to take on a business venture that would kill two birds with one stone.
Having worked in the recycling sector, the Londoners set out to reduce tech metal waste, turning the small fragments of gold in discarded iPhones into luxurious jewelry pieces.
The sisters took £10,000, or roughly $13,470, from their savings to launch their business Incador, which translates to “civilization of gold.”
They work with engineers to extract gold from old pieces of technology such as iPhones.
Gold is used in the phones due to its high electrical conductivity and resistance to corrosion, according to Stanford Advanced Materials.
An old iPhone contains a very small amount of gold, typically around 0.034 grams per device – worth roughly $2 at current gold prices.
After extracting the gold from the discarded waste, the sisters use their sustainably sourced materials to craft intricate made-to-order rings, pendants, necklaces, and earrings.
JEWELRY WITH HEART
The sisters have appreciated the elegance and intricacy of gold jewelry from a young age, but noticed that many pieces lacked uniqueness, with many on the market being indistinguishable from one another.
Their backgrounds in chemical and environmental engineering shed light on the harsh reality of the precious metals supply chain, plagued with worker exploitation and perilous extraction methods.
The Chaves set out to make their own jewelry pieces that were both ethically sourced and artistically crafted.
“We’d always go into each other’s wardrobes and borrow different things – including jewellery,” Karen, who finished college just before Incador launched, told Absolutely Business.
“Alice and I wanted to create something special and sculptural, like an art piece.”
They use artisanal small-scale mining, or ASM, as well as electronic waste to source their materials.
Jam Press/IncadorThe sisters use artisanal small-scale mining and electronic waste to source their materials[/caption]Unlike large scale mining, their methods minimize disturbance to the land and consume much less energy.
“Karen and I knew we wanted to create beautiful jewelry but didn’t want to contribute to the problems in the industry, so we explored alternative ways to source gold in ways that are traceable and ethical,” said Alice.
“ASM is one way to source gold but many electronics – like iPhones and laptops – have small amounts of gold and precious metals in them.
“With electronic waste on the rise, we saw this as an opportunity to be part of the solution by working with partners to recover 24k gold from old and forgotten technology.”
Karen and I knew we wanted to create beautiful jewelry but didn’t want to contribute to the problems in the industry, so we explored alternative ways to source gold in ways that are traceable and ethical.”
Alice ChaveIncador Co-FounderThe duo works alongside two engineers and an ASM partner in Peru to craft their unique gold jewelry designs, which are in part inspired by the sisters’ background.
Karen and Alice were born Swiss and Vietnamese, and mostly raised in Malaysia.
“We spent a lot of time outdoors as kids – we still do – and you can see that in the designs we’ve created,” said Karen.
STARTING SMALL
The sisters shared that starting up their jewelry business wasn’t always smooth sailing.
“We sensed the usual start-up scepticism from people around us but understood that it can seem impossible to build a business from scratch without prior experience,” said Karen.
The pair, backed by supportive parents, would remind themselves that every expert was once a novice.
“Today, with the internet and AI, learning has never been easier,” said Karen, who shared that building and growing Incador had brought the pair closer together.
“The way we work is very complementary to our different skills. Alice has always been someone I can be open and honest with, and you need that in a business partner.”
Karen and Alice officially launched Incador last summer, with their small business now offering over 20 unique pieces for shoppers to choose from.
The handmade jewelry starts at £1,200, or just over $1,600, per item.
For each kilogram of gold the sisters purchase, they reinvest money into community projects to supports health, education, economic, and environmental initiatives in artisanal mining communities.
Karen and Alice are not the only young entrepreneurs trying to make a profit.
A new shock poll has revealed that over half of Gen Z is hoping for three income streams in the next five years as a quarter already work side hustles.
Side hustles are becoming increasingly popular – one entrepreneur makes over $50,000 monthly with their simple Amazon side hustle.
Jam Press/IncadorKaren and Alice launched Incador last summer[/caption] Jam Press/IncadorShoppers can purchase over 20 made-to-order pieces from Incador[/caption] Read More Details
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