Founder of Scandi brand AKIND Anna Wallander talks sustainable, zero-waste jewellery
Anna Wallander created AKIND in 2019 after years spent searching for fine jewellery that she actually wanted to wear, jewellery that’s made responsibly, ethically, and sustainably. And that’s exactly the brand that she created.
Tell us about yourself and your brand.
I’m Anna Wallander, founder and CEO of AKIND. I grew up in a small town in the middle of Sweden, studied law at one of the country’s most prominent law schools, and then spent seven and a half years as a business lawyer, five of them living abroad. I also lived in China and Spain when I was younger, and being exposed to new cultures has shaped me a lot in my life. AKIND was born in 2019 out of a very personal frustration: I couldn’t find fine jewellery I actually wanted to wear. Everything felt either dated, expensive or locked inside the bridal category. And when I learned about the back-end of the industry (mining, pollution, cartels, deforestation) I was more determined than ever to create a new kind of brand. One that not only looks great but is also crafted in the most responsible way possible. Our pieces are designed in Stockholm, handcrafted in Europe and always made from 100% recycled metals and sustainably certified lab-grown diamonds and gemstones.
What is your mission/design philosophy?
To prove that fine jewellery can be beautiful and responsible. And that you shouldn’t have to choose. Traditional jewellery sits on a foundation of mining, which is deeply destructive. We rejected that from day one. Every AKIND piece is made from 100% recycled metals and lab-grown diamonds that are certified for low pollution, zero water waste, energy efficiency, and ethical labour. Design-wise, our aesthetic is quietly Scandinavian; timeless, delicate, a little unexpected. I want our pieces to feel personal, to be worn every day and still feel right at a wedding in twenty years.
Did you always know you wanted to be a designer?
Honestly, no – and I’ll be the first to say I’m not a designer in the traditional sense. I was a lawyer for nearly eight years and never imagined I’d leave it. But I’ve always been drawn to beautiful things and to cultures that take craft seriously, and I think my years abroad planted the seed long before I realised. AKIND came from necessity more than ambition. I saw a gap in the market that frustrated me enough to want to fix it, and the more I learned about the industry, the more I felt I had to build something better. I don’t sit and sketch the pieces myself; I work closely with incredibly talented designers who bring the vision to life. My role is more about shaping the direction, the feeling and making sure every piece reflects what AKIND stands for.
What kind of items do you stock?
Our core is a lifestyle and stacking collection, everyday staples like fine stacking rings, delicate diamond necklaces, hoops, studs, and cuffs. Then we have our Special Occasion and Bridal pieces, which is a carefully curated jewellery wardrobe of rings we think are exclusive, timeless, and a little different from the expected classics. I call them Special Occasion Rings because they’re not only for engagements – they’re for celebrating any moment that deserves marking: a promotion, the birth of a child, moving country, or simply yourself. My personal favourites are the Curvy Diamond Ring, the Toi et Moi Ruby Ring, and the Radiant Bezel Diamond Ring. And on May 12th, we’re launching something I’m really excited about; a new silver and vermeil segment that offers a more accessible entry point into fine jewellery, still in precious metals, still made the AKIND way.
Was funding a concern when starting out?
Not really in the early years, actually. We raised funding twice fairly comfortably and had great investors come onboard, which gave us the runway to build the brand properly. What’s shifted is the landscape itself – post-2022, raising capital for e-commerce brands has become significantly harder. Investors now want to see black numbers alongside steady growth, which is a much finer balance to strike. We haven’t raised since 2022, partly because the climate changed, but also because we’ve focused on stabilising the business into healthy, sustainable growth, and with that being profitable. And I’m genuinely proud of that. We’ve built something that stands on its own feet, which feels like the right foundation for the next chapter.
Best business advice you’ve gotten?
“Stay close to the problem you’re solving.” It’s easy, as a founder, to get swept up in growth metrics, trends, and what everyone else is doing. But the brands that endure are the ones who never lose sight of why they started. For us, that’s creating fine jewellery without the environmental cost, and every decision still comes back to that.
Most useful learning since establishing your brand?
That resilience matters more than any single good idea. Building a brand is a long game of constant adaptation, to markets, to material cost, to customer behaviour, to your own expectations. I’ve learned to make decisions from a place of long-term conviction rather than short-term pressure. And to surround myself with people who believe in the mission as much as I do. Having the right people onboard is really important.
What new brands or items are on your radar?
Not necessarily new per se but… Toteme – I’ve always admired how Elin Kling and Karl Lindman have built something so quietly confident without ever shouting. I already own one of their T-bags and have a new one on sight!
Cecilie Bahnsen – for the way she works with volume and femininity without ever feeling costume.
Sophie Bille Brahe – a fellow Scandinavian, and someone I admire enormously in the fine jewellery space.
Favourite fashion/design accounts you follow…
@pernilleteisbaek for everyday Scandi style done impeccably.
@tineandreaa Norwegian creative with such a cool, editorial eye.
@linda.tol Amsterdam-based, elegant and a bit unexpected.
Best recent fashion purchase…
A Toteme black T-bag that I’ll wear for the next ten years.
A pair of The Row loafers. They were an investment but I already know they’ll outlast anything else in my wardrobe.
A silk blouse I found in Tokyo, that feels like it was made for me.
Irish brands you love…
JW Anderson. Everything Jonathan does feels witty and wonderfully unexpected. One of the most interesting designers working today.
Simone Rocha. For the romance and the drama; she’s in a league of her own.
Hope Macaulay. Those chunky, colourful knits are pure joy. I love the energy she brings to something as traditional as knitwear.
Proudest moment so far in business…
Gosh, this one is hard! It’s less about a single moment and more about the small ones that remind me why we started. A customer telling us her AKIND ring has become her daily signature, or seeing someone propose with a piece we designed. Those moments still give me goosebumps. On a bigger scale, navigating the last 18 months of rising gold prices and coming out the other side with a stronger, more resilient brand has been its own kind of proud moment. We didn’t compromise on our materials or values once and that’s something I’ll always stand by.
I want my brand to be remembered for…
Proving that you don’t have to compromise. That fine jewellery can be genuinely beautiful, genuinely crafted, and genuinely responsible – all at once. I want AKIND to have helped shift what people expect from the industry.
If I could have anyone wear my designs, it would be…
Cate Blanchett or Zoë Kravitz. Cate because she wears jewellery the way I design it: with quiet intention, never for effect. Zoë embodies exactly the kind of easy, everyday elegance AKIND is built around, so would love for her to be all stacked up with it!
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