“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” This age-old adage holds a universal truth, but also comes to life quite literally through the beautiful eco-conscious jewelry brand, CLED. Originally from Korea, Seulye founded the brand in LA back in 2018 and now runs it alongside brand partner, YJ. CLED’s mission is to minimize environmental impact by creating upcycled fine jewelry using existing materials. Each piece is handmade in-house from discarded glass, which the brand collects themselves from local restaurants and glass shops right here in Los Angeles.
“Our raw material is literally trash, so we turn them into something beautiful and meaningful that tells a story,” Seulye tells us. After the glass is collected, they then clean the bottles to remove any labels and residue. From there, the team creates mesmerizing adornments that are inspired by everything from nature to music. “Our main focus is to show the beauty of the material with glass and turn it into something wearable with our jewelry and eco gems,” YJ explains.
Having previously worked in the fast fashion industry, Seulye saw a lot of waste – especially in plastic. She observed how mass manufactured products were made quickly and often without care. This process didn’t sit right with her, so she sought to create an alternative.
Upon reflecting on the brand’s organic beginnings, it’s inspiring to see how a simple seed of an idea can grow and flourish into something that is truly impactful. “One of my favorite memories is actually from before we even started CLED,” Seulye reminesces. “We used to go for a walk with our dog. After that, we went through all the trash bins looking for empty glass bottles because I needed to test all kinds of glass. It was such a funny and special moment. We were just figuring things out and it still makes me smile and it reminds me how CLED started and how far we’ve come.”
From coming up with initial designs and planning the production process from their home, to now operating within a fully equipped studio, CLED is on a mission to rethink conscious consumption and to carve a new space in which circular fashion can truly thrive.
Watch our latest feature on CLED for our Designer Edit series, and head over to the LANG Online Store to shop the latest collection from CLED. You can also shop our in-store exclusives at the LANG store in Chinatown LA.
LANG
441 Gin Ling Way, Central Plaza, LA 90012
Wednesday - Sunday, 11am - 5pm