No tags yet.
“Laughter and joy are always the best medicine. And if not… vino.” -Melanie Maggio
A peak into the mind of Melanie Maggio, founder and designer of JACTO, a sustainable jewellery company that up-cycles fish bones and fish skin, discarded at commercial fishing docks and seafood sellers, to create her one of a kind pieces. Each piece is handcrafted and produced in her Williamsburg, Brooklyn studio using recycled, conflict-free metal.
As a child, she has been described by her mother as “adventurous" and “basically born 40". The shoe turned jewellery designer realised early on that she was always looking for something to create. She shared with us that she was constantly finding things and rummaging through the tool shed, picking up bolts and making bracelets out of materials she had found.
When asked about goals for her career she says, "I always wanted to be designing products around something that has an ethical story, from design through to production… my goal with JACTO is to get the consumer understanding more about up-cycled design. Things are moving so fast, and this is contributing to so much waste. I want to promote the idea that you can invest in life-long accessories… that reflect and represent something that is true.”
Starting a company independently, funded by her own dollar and running it solo, it’s not surprising that Melanie hardly gets any sleep. Though, when asked if there was anyone out there who she might want to switch lives with the answer to that was nobody, that the thought had simply never crossed her mind.
Being surrounded by the simple things in life is when Melanie feels the most content, explaining that a real treat for her would be “just taking an afternoon, or day off with friends... just being outside, and chilling out.” This is testament to her work ethic which keeps her indoors for long periods, and so she finds herself enjoying being outside that much more.
What is quality to Melanie then, we find ourselves asking? “I believe buy less and buy better quality,” she explains. “I love to travel, and I don’t need a lots of things. I grab a couple pairs of my go-to jeans, a sweater, and a few tees. When I take time to buy something, I don’t want to have to get it again a few weeks later. I take notice of everything that goes into a product.”
So, similarly to the ethos of Quinn, Melanie values quality over quantity and believes in the importance of the story behind a product; particularly if it outlines a sustainable and ethical practice from its design to its purchase.
Lauren wears the Rayne Turtle Neck and Melanie wears the Alisa Crew Neck... both part of our Essentials collection.
See more essentials on QuinnShop.com