Meet Jane Xiang | Jewelry Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jane Xiang and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jane, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I love making jewelry. It all started with a metals & jewelry class in Middle school. I also knew there was so much waste in the commercial fashion industry, and I wanted to play a part in eliminating some of that waste. So, I started making jewelry using the materials that were getting tossed – mostly leather swatches. I remember the corporate office used to have giant garbage bins full of leather, and they were just overflowing with swatches and leather skins. But those small cuttings are perfect for jewelry pieces. I collect leftover pieces to turn them into earrings, bracelets, keychains, etc.

What should our readers know about your business?
Starting a jewelry business and making it a real thing was difficult. I still have imposter syndrome. This was a hobby of mine for so long that to call it a business sounded foolish. I remember being too scared to sell my jewelry on Etsy because I was scared to fail. I have since learned failure is part of the process and now, I see it as a statistics game: every little failure and every “No” statistically takes me one step closer to a “Yes.” I celebrate the failures because it means I showed up and did my best, and there is always a lesson to learn. What makes me show up every day is that I care about the purpose behind this business. It is based on what I can do for the environment. I know it will evolve, because climate issues will evolve, research will evolve, the industry will evolve, and I expect my business to adapt to the best of my ability.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The museums in New York City are a must. I love The Met. It’s hard to go through an entire museum in one day, so I actually encourage visitors to find the quieter spots – sit down with a sketchbook and absorb what is around you.

We would need to be spend a couple days visiting both Queens and Brooklyn; the restaurants are amazing and budget friendly. The boutiques are unique and often feature local makers. In fact, the first time I started selling Coral & Pine jewelry was at a boutique called Earth & Me, which is a zero-waste store based in Astoria.

I like to end trips on a more relaxing note; a walk along The High Line or a picnic in Central Park.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shoutout has to go to Kamil, who is one of my best friends, and who has quite literally helped me every step of the way. I thought I could do this on my own and I quickly learned how impossible that is. His support laid the foundation I needed to start this business.

Website: https://coralandpinejewelry.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coralandpinejewelry/