Community Highlights: Meet Amy Vemulapalli and Pooja Kavi of SANGAAH Jewelry

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Vemulapalli and Pooja Kavi.

Hi Amy and Pooja, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
One night over a couple of glasses of wine, we were talking about how we wished we could find fun, unique statement jewelry that didn’t look like all the cookie-cutter styles we saw in the market. If we did find something that stood out, it was either cheap, fast fashion or a whole paycheck. As we continued to talk, we realized that many of our favorite pieces in our own collections were keepsakes from our global travels and family heirlooms that had been passed down over generations. Each of those earrings, necklaces, and rings were influenced by local traditions that had their own story, and that’s what made them so special.

And that’s how the idea for SANGAAH was born! Our jewelry is inspired from our travels, family stories, and global culture without giving up modern trends. Handcrafted by artisans in NYC, each piece is sustainably produced from recycled brass in small batches and 14k gold plated. Through attention to detail and high-quality materials, our modern heirlooms are meant to be worn time and again, not just for special occasions.

SANGAAH in Sanskrit means “community.” As a brand rooted in cultural curiosity, being inclusive and diverse is at our core. We welcome all people who are open-minded and strive to be their own unique selves. Everyone’s story is unique and deserves to be told, and we want each person who wears our jewelry to feel empowered and proud to be themselves!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It took almost two years for us to launch our brand last November, despite many setbacks and roadblocks along the way. Neither of us had specific experience in making and designing jewelry so in essence, we started from scratch. From design to production, each step in the process was new to us and finding the right partners that aligned with our values took time. But we knew that we didn’t want to sacrifice quality or take shortcuts on bringing our vision to life.

In March 2020, we were set to launch and then the global pandemic hit, and our business came to a screeching halt as our production is centered in NYC, where the epicenter of Covid was in the early stages. This meant not only that we couldn’t produce our jewelry but also our partners were the most at risk of contracting the virus. While it was a disappointment to come so far only to stop for the foreseeable future, we were so thankful that all of our artisans were safe and as New York started to open again, they were able to safely come back to work.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We are a proud minority and female-owned business that supports other small and female-owned businesses throughout our process. From design to production, we partner with other businesses that share our values of bringing sustainable, quality jewelry that is as unique and bold as the people who wear it.

Our jewelry doesn’t look like other brands and it’s not meant to! Each piece is rooted in global culture but designed with a modern edge, so it can be worn on its own or stacked with other jewelry you already own. They make a statement all on their own or add a pop to some of your basic layers.

Sustainable quality is very important to us, which is why we small-batch produce our pieces in NYC using 14k gold plated recycled brass and high-quality crystals. The recycled brass base lessens the environmental impact of mining virgin metals, and stateside production in NYC reduces our carbon footprint from shipping.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We’re always interested in working with other people, brands and businesses that align with our brand values of sustainability, inclusivity and uniqueness, and cultural curiosity. As a new startup, we also like to support other small and woman and minority-owned businesses too.

Contact Info:

• Website: sangaah.com
• Instagram: @sangaah_official

Image Credits:
Stephanie Neiheisel @gthglsscrtv