The jewellery designer making earrings from recycled silk: ‘Each piece tells a story’

Ever since she was a little girl, Karolina Binczyk has always loved to make things. As a child growing up in Poland, her mother taught her how to draw, knit, and sew and normally found her doing some sort of arts and crafts.

After graduating in 2007 from the Institute of Design as an interior designer, Karolina decided to join some friends who had already made the move to Scotland. But it wasn’t until she started working in a boutique shop in Edinburgh that Karolina began to learn about textiles and how to put different fabrics together to create colourful outfits.

She began rummaging in charity shops to find interesting fabrics, and it was after discovering some vintage silk ties that she made her first pair of earrings.

‘I wanted to create unique silk jewellery that I could wear and share with others,’ Karolina said.

‘During lockdown, I had a lot of time to think, design more shapes, and create my collection, then in September 2021, I went to London and participated in my first trade show. Since then, I’ve been busy making my jewellery for boutique shops, galleries, and museums all over the UK.’

Over the last four years, Karolina has designed and crafted distinctive earrings, necklaces, and brooches using plywood, up-cycling silk fabrics, and cardboard for her business Silky Moons Jewelry.

Karolina has been collecting silk for more than eight years now for her pieces.

‘I’ve always been passionate about textiles,’ she says. ‘I try to find my silk by following the intricate colours and patterns I find attractive for myself. Everyone is different and has their own tastes, but I believe we all love colours, so I try to offer a variety by carefully choosing my fabrics to create my jewellery pieces.

‘Silk is a natural fiber and has this smooth, soft texture very often with amazing patterns, it is a luxurious fabric. I source my pre-loved silk fabrics from second-hand online shops or directly from charity shops. I think this is the best way to create new products in today’s world, by reusing existing materials. There is a kind of poetry in taking the unwanted and giving it another life.

‘I focus on new ideas to bring to life, giving them new shapes and dressing them every time with new colours and patterns. Using upcycled silk allows me to make them only several times in the same look-pattern, so when the fabric is gone, I can’t repeat them again.’

Karolina’s stunning jewellery is now being stocked at Number Five Goldsmiths in Perth, which offers one of the most extensive selection of contemporary jewellery in Scotland.

‘There is a simplicity and purity to the designs, and along with the up-cycling element to make the jewellery, it felt like the perfect fit. I love the individuality of her designs and patterns.‘We stock both subtle and striking pieces but they are all distinctive, interesting and not too ubiquitous. Customers look for something that is different and special.’

Most of the designers and makers are from Scotland and the UK, but Stuart also sources other specialists from across Europe. Their resident Goldsmith and Designer, Claire Donald, specialises in bespoke commission pieces, and Stuart’s personal relationships with all the makers means he can approach them to tailor any piece to individual requirements.‘I’m so excited to have my jewellery stocked in a place like Number Five Goldsmiths,’ Karolina said.

For Number Five Goldsmiths owner Stuart Bruce, Karolina’s unique pieces were the perfect fit.

‘It’s amazing to see my passion for sustainable fashion being recognized. I really hope people love the pieces as much as I do.

‘Fabrics bring a sense of warmth and creativity to jewellery, allowing for intricate designs and patterns. They are also lightweight, making them comfortable to wear. Using fabrics for jewellery can create a bold statement piece that stands out. They’re often more affordable and can be customized easily.’

When Karolina starts to design her pieces she looks for new shapes, sometimes sketching out ideas or cutting geometric pieces—circles, half-circles, squares, and ovals—from up-cycled cardboard, mixing and matching them together to find a look. She now makes around 120-150 pairs of earrings each month.

‘I’ve been collecting silk for more than eight years now, and I have so many colourful pieces in my drawers that I use every day,’ Karolina said. ‘Sometimes the smaller pieces can be the most precious ones to create the very last pair of earrings with a beautiful pattern.

‘My process of making typically starts with selecting the silk. Then I cut out the shapes of earrings from the fabric, hand-stitch them, and cover the up-cycled cardboard before I attach each to a plywood base. Most of the time, I meticulously hand-stitch them together, so they are often reversible with slightly different patterns on the back.

‘It’s really satisfying to see how the fabric with tiny stitches transforms into something wearable and unique. Each piece tells a story, and I enjoy the creativity involved in transforming something old into something new and beautiful. It’s a labor of love, and I enjoy every moment of it.’

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