Two sisters who designed their own sustainable jewellery brand from home during lockdown are aiming to keep expanding their business while staying true to its core.
Georgia and Eleanor Franks launched ‘August May’ in November 2021, having originally conceived of the idea as early as January of that year.
Almost a year on from the launch, the Isleworth-based duo have continued to grow the brand while sticking to their sustainability pledge.
Younger sister Eleanor, 24, said: “Businesses these days are seen to launch as overnight successes, but this isn’t always the case.
“I know our jewellery is beautiful and I know what we stand for, so I have to stay true to that.”
The duo explained that in order be a sustainable and ethical business means sourcing materials transparently and responsibly.
But this takes time and research to ensure materials are ethically sourced as misinformation can be common.
Eleanor explained how the team is currently in the process of moving their manufacturing over from Jaipur, India to Birmingham so they can further reduce their carbon footprint by cutting out the use of cargo planes.
Moreover, as part of their sustainability pledge, a tree is planted every time a piece of jewellery is sold.
From production to packaging, Eleanor and Georgia made sure they addressed the issues of waste as effectively as possible, such as selling jewellery small batches to reduce packaging.
Responsible manufacturing and packaging are also considered, which means you won’t see a printed receipt in your order.
A key highlight for the sisters since the launch was welcoming their third sister to the business, Martha, who is working across social media, specifically the brand’s TikTok @Augustmaylondon.
They had the realisation that having a social media presence is essential for a new brand and this is something the sisters continue to focus on.
However, the brand is starting to build some momentum – as they partnered with Ecologi, a brand that empowers consumers to reduce their carbon footprint and fight the climate crisis.
You can learn more about August May London and check out their products at https://augustmaylondon.com/.
