Silvart: Playful does it

P astel colours, sweets and forest creatures are among the sources of inspiration for entrepreneur Jenna Silvander. Her Silvart range of accessories and personal adornments has gone from strength to strength, proving that playfulness and practicality are a winning combination.

“Silvart specialises in creating feel-good jewellery,” says Jenna Silvander, a former nurse and mother-of-two, who created the business in 2015. Having discovered her craft after being introduced to clay in a creative workshop, Silvander quickly found her own style with Fimo, a polymer material that offers endless versatility and a huge range of colours to work with. “I just started experimenting and realised that I can make anything out of this material,” she explains.

Clients immediately took to Silvart’s colourful designs, which incorporate everything from foxes to the shapes of sweets. Pastel-coloured sweet necklaces are among the Finnish label’s best-known products, but keyrings have now emerged as another bestseller. Among them is a design inspired by the wild blueberries that grow in the forests around Silvander’s home base in Lohja. “I’m hugely inspired by Finnish nature,” Silvander says. “And in my craft, I get to replicate the beauty of nature in a really tangible way.”

Many of the designs certainly look good enough to eat, but a serious focus on practicality is equally important. Silvander, who gave up her nursing career to set up the business, has created a range of keyrings with first-aid themes to cater for healthcare staff who are limited to wearing uniforms at work. “I want to prove that practical products don’t need to be boring,” she says. “I’m also really inspired by the day-to-day demands of people’s jobs.”

Being a mother of two young boys is evident in Silvander’s knack of creating designs that allow for children to express their creativity and personality. “A lot of kids like to accessorise their school bags and rucksacks with our products,” she says. “And coming up next, I’m working on a hairband with attached pseudo-earrings.”

Following double-digit sales growth this year, Silvander is looking to hire staff to keep up with demand. The business premises next to her home in Lohja are also being expanded, while the Silvart online shop is being expanded to better serve clients based outside of Finland. “You never know where the next source of inspiration will come from,” Silvander says. “These are exciting times.”

www.silvart.fi