Celebrating Craftsmanship By Challenging Consumption

The vision for our recent brand project arose one day as I unexpectedly drove by a landfill full of thrown out goods, reminding myself of the white sand dunes in Nida, Lithuania - a key inspiration for the brand. The astonishing and shocking parallel between these two locations sparked an idea to convey the dark reality of consumption in our society as a photoshoot embracing environmental responsibility. 

The name '4 Elements' represents the four elements of the earth. I wanted to show four sisters (real life siblings), who created planet Earth, starting to suffer from the rapidly increasing consumption by mankind. I became exhausted creating cliché beauty which does not reflect the actual issues surrounding us and instead, wanted to send an inspiring message to my customers. It is a time to remind ourselves that this vital change toward sustainable consumption needs to start within each one of us, and the perfect timing for change is now. Attitude is a little thing that makes big difference. Consumers must start to question themselves: how and why do you choose to contribute to ethical practices? Since starting my brand, I’ve always maintained the same attitude towards consumerism – you don’t need much, you merely need a few beloved. It is a small change yet a huge contribution towards the world and society of the near future. 

Salanida is about slowing down and making conscious choices towards social and environmental practices. Maintaining an ethical approach to fashion and supporting local female artisans are the core values that we stand for. We don’t chase key trends and seasons – our knits are created to be timeless and effortless for every customer. It’s all about respecting the colors and textures of the Earth, the importance of natural materials and honouring craftsmanship.

I wanted our brand name to represent the environment that has inspired me to live sustainably. ‘Sala’ means 'island', while ‘Nida’ is a unique little town on the coast of Lithuania. Surrounded by white sand dunes, ancient woods, and windswept amber beaches, this enchanting place entices reflection and inspiration. It’s a tranquil sanctuary away from the bustling world and an antonym to the hectic rush of our daily lives. The name of the brand itself presents an allusion to slow down and appreciate the little things given by nature. 

All garments are made with artisanal manual knitting machines and sewn by hand by local craftswomen at our small studio in Lithuania. Stitch by stitch and row by row, the knits are made. We carefully select natural yarns and aim for wools that are un-dyed and recycled.