Image Courtesy of Buddha to Buddha.
SLEEK: Buddha to Buddha began in a moment of meditation. Can you tell us more about how this led onto the conception of the label as we know it today?
Batul Loomans: In 1990, I travelled to India in search of enlightenment. At the end of this life-changing trip, I had a heavy silver bracelet made to remind myself to forever stay grounded mentally and physically. It worked. What I experienced during this journey is called ’rebirth ’, an essential concept in Buddhist belief. It’s the idea that a person is spiritually reborn throughout their life. Despite its origins in Buddhism, the idea of rebirth is not only spiritual. Everyone, even your stubborn uncle who is not spiritual at all, goes through different life phases. And every step of the way, your character and behaviour evolve. Each phase holds incredible value in shaping who you are. And that’s where our product comes in. Our jewellery marks moments in your life. From the beginning, we had a clear mission: to create durable, premium jewellery that celebrates life’s milestones and remains with our customers forever. This is our reason for being. That’s why they are more than just a purchase. Whether it’s a gift for someone else or just for yourself, our jewellery carries a unique story and is meant to commemorate special moments.
S: Everything you make is made by hand, taking at least 72 hours before it’s ready to be worn. Why is working in this slow and careful way important for you?
BL: Our handmade jewellery serves as an antidote to mass-produced sameness. We embrace timeless beauty and the people drawn to it. We don’t want to be part of the fast fashion industry and we’ll steer clear of trends and hypes. We’ll always take our time to handcraft beautiful pieces. We care about quality. No Buddha to Buddha pieces are the same. They are made with the best possible materials, designed in Amsterdam and ethically sourced from Southeast Asia. Ethics and aesthetics go hand in hand. That’s why every piece is unique, and every piece has its own soul.
S: And how would you describe the soul of your pieces?
BL: Anything we can connect with from deep inside our own being – in other words, our soul – must also carry a soul in itself; a soul is always ready to connect with another soul. I think we all have a tendency to forget our own resource of silence and love which live inside all of us. It does not matter what background we have; we all have the capacity to connect again with our inner source. If we slowly start living from this point of view, everything we touch and create will have its own unique way, soul or energy. With Buddha to Buddha, we have found a way to connect. Are you ready to meet again?
Image Courtesy of Buddha to Buddha.
S: Are there any meaningful connections you’ve experienced that have inspired your creations?
BL: When we created our first bracelet named ‘Batul’, I had a small yet profound gift for the people who bought one bracelet in the nightlife scene in Amsterdam in the Nineties. People came to my little apartment in Amsterdam Buitenveldert and we would meditate for one hour. Meditation was new in our scene, and I travelled every year in wintertime to India to experiment with meditation. This was such an eye opener for me; it changed my life. I started sharing my experiences with meditation through leading small groups which introduced everybody to the world of a silent mind. With hundreds of people, I shared my inner joy and to this day I still do.
S: Going back to the idea of a connection with the earth, how do you approach sustainability?
BL: We treat Mother Earth and her people with integrity. Our products are designed to last a lifetime with proper care. All our jewellery is crafted using recycled silver and gold, and we are committed to using certified recycled silver and gold for over 90 percent of our products by the end of 2023. To reduce our environmental impact, we are transitioning to biodegradable packaging. By the end of 2023, 80 percent of our packaging will be biodegradable and by 2024 100 percent of our packaging will be biodegradable.
As featured in SLEEK 78 – BLISS. Available in print and digital here.