About us
“Our jewellery is so much more than just something to be worn. We create pieces that become part of you—an extension of your values that adorn you like a second skin, for those who appreciate the value of handmade, and who find the beauty and uniqueness in imperfection.”
- Pippa Small
Our Founder
Founder Pippa has been making jewellery for as long as she can remember; collecting beautiful stones, shells and beads to create trinkets and souvenirs that chronical her earliest adventures and experiences. From a young age, she travelled widely with her family and became enchanted with the cultures and people she met, setting in motion her desire to study anthropology. Pippa holds an MA in Medical Anthropology, cultivating her interest in human rights among minorities, indigenous peoples and tribal groups through collaborations with grass roots organisations in Borneo, Thailand and India amongst others. Pippa has won numerous awards for social responsibility, is an ambassador of the human right organisation, Survival International, and was awarded an MBE in 2013 for her ethical jewellery and charity work. Our first shop opened in Notting Hill, London in 2007, followed soon after by our shop in Santa Monica, California.
Our Commitment
When Pippa Small first launched in 2007, the negative impacts of large scale mining, from pollution to unethical practices, were all too obvious. It was clear that in order to enact change, we needed to lead by example: prioritising ethical practices above all else and ensuring that the people behind the pieces were always front of mind. That’s why to this day, our purpose is to create beautiful jewellery that not only lasts a lifetime, but also changes the industry for the better.
We take pride in the fact that our collections are diverse—each one representing the unique culture, materials and hands that worked on it, yet connected by Pippa’s particular style and contemporary eye. Our designs always look to celebrate and respect these cultures, to promote their traditional crafts and set a new standard for ethical jewellery practices; from our core collection in India, our ethical sourcing work in Colombia and Bolivia, to community efforts with Turquoise Mountain in Afghanistan, Myanmar and Jordan. By wearing Pippa Small jewellery, you help us to create sustainable jobs in areas impacted by conflict and climate change, support cleaner, fairer mining practices, and ensure the continuation of traditional craft techniques in communities the world over.
“When I have worked in small communities, there was a keen sense that everyone in the community was creative and a part of the process, all were involved with their opinion of how the jewellery sounded when one danced, what colours were perceived as harmonious together and what the meanings were of particular designs and shapes which made it is a totally inclusive experience for us all.” - Pippa Small
Our Ethos
Pippa Small is an ethical jewellery brand, creating talismans for modern life. We approach jewellery design differently; working with Fairtrade, Fair Mined sourced materials, generating secure livelihoods in areas of conflict around the world, and creating opportunities for a new generation of women to learn valuable skills in our workshops. Each Pippa Small piece has a story to tell, giving a voice to the highly skilled goldsmiths, stone cutters and artisans that bring to life their local material cultures and traditions in every design.
All our designs are handmade by highly-skilled artisans. We believe that it’s an extraordinary privilege to own something that has been made by hand; organic shapes that forge a bridge between one person and another. At the heart of every Pippa Small design is an elemental connection to earth, humanity and place. Each piece of jewellery harbours a unique soul, a story gifted to its wearer by its creator. By carrying this soul, we share its deeper significance with the world, bringing attention and awareness to what is happening somewhere else.
“Meditation is about clearing your mind of distractions. Craftsmanship is like a meditation; you must be free of distractions when you work, so you must control your actions with awareness and discipline. Craftsmanship needs so many things, such as composure, concentration, and thinking.” - Tin Win, Master Goldsmith.