Keep Wild Co.: Eco-Conscious, Well-Crafted Goods from Kimi Werner and Paradisus

Plus, so gorgeous, we’d want ‘em even if they didn't feed our soul.

Photo: Courtesy of Keep Wild Co.

Hey there, wild thing: You make our heart sing. We love your fierce style, how you can't be tamed and the fact that you're always on the prowl for the next cool thing to sink your jaws into. Oh, and when the call of nature to mālama the ‘aina comes? We know you're right there with your teeth bared, ready to defend the law of the jungle with your life. We could eat you up, we love you so.

But instead, we’ll toss you a tip from a pack of ladies with similar instincts for style and sustainability. When Kimi Werner and her assistant Sarah Wilcox teamed up with Paradisus jewelry designers Akemi and Linda Ueda last year, they made wearable magic. Looking to expand their offerings into a lifestyle brand for this year, the group focused on what mattered most to them: ethically sourced, high-quality, thoughtfully made, long-lasting items that wouldn't end up clogging a dump alongside modernity’s endless amounts of disposable goods. Oh, and gorgeous, of course.

The fruits of their labor? Keep Wild Co., an earthy-chic collection of accessories and everyday goods that will last you for ages, are sustainably created and have a stylish, well-made aesthetic that will actually make you want to hold on to them. Think beautifully crafted salt boxes made from the limb of a Mānoa monkeypod tree that still lives today, or a wanderluster-worthy leather satchel from a U.S.-based tannery with the highest environmental certifications. In fact, the group teamed up with artisans and local crafters to create the best goods and source the most conscious, sustainable materials, from reclaimed Hawaiian woods to non-toxic cowhide treating methods.

The results are incredibly beautiful, functional, useful and applicable to the everyday, while also reflecting the team’s lifestyles and values. The traditional Japanese fish scaler, for example, is a nod to both Werner’s childhood (she watched her mother and grandmother clean many a fish with just such a tool) and her values regarding the importance of self-reliance and knowing where your food comes from. The elegant “Bring It” utensil set is the anti-plastic-flatware product, aimed to inspire folks to pass up on harmful plastic waste in favor of eco-friendly multi-use options. It’s got everything you need for grinding on the go: sleek leather case, a stunning hammered fork and spoon set, fair-trade cotton napkin, metal straw and a pair of wooden chopsticks.

Just what you need to make take your sustainability game to a more stylish level, right? Let the wild rumpus start!

Prices range from $4 wooden chopsticks to $168 leather goods, keepwildco.com.