Environmentally Friendly Accessories
Founded in 2003 with the idea to produce jewelry attractive to women of ages 15 through 90, PONO is a NY-based accessories company whose products are designed by Joan Goodman – a company that takes a uniquely holistic approach to accessories. Rather than chasing after a specific demographic, PONO attempts to uncover the universal in fashion with designs and styles that appeal to people of all walks and means.
Square Picture Frame Cracked Shell Pendants
$400
The PONO jewelry collection is designed by Joan, and the pieces are handcrafted in Italy by artisans who possess an exceptional attention for detail from concept to design. Joan's inspiration for PONO comes from the creativity, technology, and the environmental commitment of the Italian factories she works with.
PONO Brick Bracelets
$50
In Hawaii, pono signifies a state of harmony and balance. Joan Goodman's designs for PONO reflect her life experiences: mixing the exotic landscapes of Hawaii with Italian sophistication, NYC urban chic, and a love of nature and the planet. These diverse lines of influence can be seen in PONO’s singular collection that blends materials like horn, wood, shell, and resin into remarkable accessories.
Cracked Shell Hinge Bracelet
60mm
$435
PONO has been featured in Italian Vogue, Fashion Rocks, In Style, Travel and Leisure, and on the cover of the WWD accessory issue. PONO bangle bracelets, cuff bracelets, necklaces, chokers, pendants, earrings, handbags, and belts are sold at many fine stores throughout the US, Europe, Japan, Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean, including Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, Fred Segal, Henri Bendel, Anthropologie, and Calypso.
Materials Used:
Cow Horn
A byproduct of the agricultural industry, the cow horn used by the factories is the keystone upon which the PONO aesthetic was built. Like marble, no two pieces of horn are ever the same. Just take a look at the many tones and hues of the Save The Planet Honey Horn Bangles. Some have lettering lasered into them, leaving them shiny, reflective, and polished. Others feature raised lettering in which the horn is transformed into a more muted tone. Either way, horn is PONO's material of choice. Every single item is a singular masterpiece whose depth will continue to reveal new facets for decades to come.
Resin
If horn is the keystone of the collection, then resin is the building itself. An extremely pliable material, resin feeds their more daring design urges, while also allowing them to revisit designs past. With resin, they try to emphasize its boldness and brilliance through first-rate dyes and designs that evoke mid-20th-century costume jewelry with a modern sensibility. Resin enables PONO both to indulge in their kooky side, as well as more classic tastes, represented in the Arctic Awareness Polaris Resin Penguin Bracelets.
Joan Goodman is also president and creative director of Bobbi Trim Ltd., one of NYC's most influential button manufacturers, and she oversees the production and distribution of a vast array of buttons that are designed for many of today's most talented clothing designers, including Marc Jacobs, Anna Sui, Derek Lam, Zac Posen, Thom Browne, Thakoon, Anne Klein Collection, Vera Wang, and Nicole Miller.
Company Statement
Maturing as an independent company since our inception in 2003, we have slowly begun to realize our ideals of creating a product that is an instrument of change, and a brand that represents peace and love. Lofty ideals, we know, but slowly and surely we're working towards our goal for being recognized as a company that transforms material objects into action.
This year, we initiated our Give Love, Practice Peace campaign with the goal of raising both funds and awareness about three organizations we believe are working to improve the world and its inhabitants: Al Gore's The Climate Project, Give a Girl a Chance, and the National Defense Resource Fund. For each cause, PONO has designed a line of bracelets and pendants, reflecting the color and strength that these women and men put into their work. It's one thing to say "Save The Planet," it's a whole other ballgame to turn sentiment into reality by living a green lifestyle.
The name PONO was chosen to signify the high ethical standards our products are made under at the factories we work with in Italy. We utilize some of the most forward-thinking environmental and labor practices in the world. In addition, the word is meant to shed light on our goals beyond fashion: raising awareness about our environment and its inhabitants through eye-grabbing accessories. Furthermore, we aim to target other progressive-thinking customers, regardless of age and income, with our less expensive pieces.
