colored necklaces

This chunky purple necklace from Salome Korkor Kpokli is a funky way to stand out and show your style. The Ghanaian artisan hand crafts the pendant from recycled glass beads, completing the necklace with flat plastic disks in a vibrant purple color.

"There is strength in numbers," believes Ghanaian designer Akwele Suma as she designs this necklace. She rolls paper recycled from printed materials, creating a variety of shapes that together form an elegant composition. Suma selects a palette of colors that includes grey, cream, red, orange, purple, green,blue, black and brown. The necklace features sese wood beads and a brass clasp.

The artist uses the paper at hand so paper colors will vary, making each design a unique example of handcrafted art. These beads receive a protective coat of clear nail polish.

Green and purple agate chips create a complex color scheme in Christina Rochelle Dzanney's gorgeous beaded necklace. The Ghanaian artisan uses a panel of white agate beads to establish contrast, then uses recycled plastic beads in an iridescent green to add depth.

A perfect accessory for one who delights in the beauty of natural wood, this Ghanaian beaded necklace is composed of an assortment of sese wood and recycled beads. Eva Nana Yaa Kasuum adds a large pendant bead in the center of her design and selects a warm palette of earth colors.

In this dazzling long, Y-shaped necklace, dainty glass and pinewood beads in shades of turquoise, yellow and caramel beautifully come together for a stunning pop of color. But the main attractions are the exquisite ceramic and coconut shell accents that form the gorgeous pendant, connected through petite brass beads and fixtures. This bold accessory is handcrafted by the artisans of the Domenech Foundation's Callotl Project in El Salvador, dedicated to the sustainable progress of the Costa del Sol region and the preservation of sea turtles. Through their work, they repurpose underappreciated coconut materials, once destined for firewood, into eco-conscious goods that pay homage to the region's extraordinary biodiversity.