Dubai designer's unique paper jewellery

It started as a conscious effort to live lighter on the planet. And in doing her bit, Raina Chandra makes jewellery. With used paper.

Normally, one would discard paper once used but with Raina, when a piece of paper is done with its job of being read or written on, it goes to ‘Rainassance' — a concept that revolves around recycling materials in the most creative way possible.

“Living in the midst of an environmental crisis, I couldn't help but wonder what I could do to make a difference. One look around my room is all it took to discover that I was only adding to the global environmental chaos'', says Raina.

Innovative

As a student of fashion, the 24-year-old environmentalist realised that she was a huge consumer of fabric, paper and yarns. At the end of three years of education, she ended up with a room full of precious resources ready to be junked. “I started making jewellery and accessories from left over yarns, buttons, fabric scraps — basically anything that would otherwise be thrown away. It was time to make a responsible choice — To junk it or to bring it back to life."
And that's how ‘Rainassance' was born. “To me, design is about innovative thinking — about replacing traditional materials with alternate ones. There is no end to what you can do with paper,"she says.

Raina first designed jewellery three years ago, starting with custom-made pieces for family and friends. The requests haven't stopped pouring in since, nor have the conversations on saving the environment.

“It is really heartening to see more and more people warm up to the idea. I‘ve realised that my paper jewellery is a conversation starter. It always gets people to discuss recycling and pressing environmental issues. In a way, it creates awareness and that's what keeps me going,"says Raina.

Besides paper, the materials used are mostly random. But it's paper, she says, that will always be her “first love''.
Paper beads are mostly created from used office paper, junk mail, brown paper bags and old magazines. While paper from magazines and junk mail is coloured, Raina has to paint office paper to create various hues.

“I chanced upon paper beads while exploring the possibility of used paper. It was magical how every little change I made
turned up a new design. It took some time to perfect but it was totally worth it and now I'm addicted,"says Raina.

Latest trends

It takes an approximate three days to have a set of beads ready, which are then embellished and stringed with either
semi-precious or metallic beads into necklaces or earrings, as required.

For colour combinations and innovations, Raina mostly relies on latest fashion trends, instinct and spontaneity. “My jewellery is very instinctive.

I rarely begin with a drawing unless I'm making a piece on request. It's extremely rewarding to see someone wear something you've created,"she adds.

There will always be new stuff, she says, talking of expanding her collections to home accessories to increase the scope of re-use. At the moment, however, Raina would rather focus on making jewellery. “Each piece of jewellery I make carries with it a hope for a cleaner and healthier environment. It's a small step, but I believe each one adds up.''

Raina's hand-made jewellery is on display at ARTE souq on the second Friday of every month at Times Square Mall, Dubai.

She can be contacted on 050-8786560 or rainassance@gmail.com