How was San Saru born?
In 2015 two traveling souls gave life to San Saru. After visiting several countries such as Morocco, Thailand, Cambodia, Sri Lanka or India we discovered our passion for getting to know other cultures.
We fell in love with the philosophy and way of life of these places: the customs, the craftsmanship and the gastronomy. In the handcrafted jewelry we found the way to convey our experiences.
And that is how San Saru was born. Silver jewelry with a soul, handmade with an ethnic style. Each piece of jewelry is unique and special. Our jewelry is the representation of our lifestyle, materialized in an eternal object.
What is your brand philosophy?
San Saru's philosophy is unique and special to us and to the whole team. We believe in people's values, love and respect. We believe in generosity, humility and kindness. We believe in a better society and we fight to achieve it. Because every little bit counts.
At the San Saru Family we are positive by nature. We fight for our dreams and live them to the fullest. Together we make a strong and united team that works hard to achieve its best.
We care about San Saru, but we also care about the world. We always try to do better for you, for us and for the planet. We believe in the fact that what you give, you receive in return. And that is why we try to give the best we have.
Our family “says the good, sees the good and hears the good”. Find out more about our manifesto by clicking here:
What about your vision, mission and values?
Vision: To be one of the best selling jewelry brands (ethnic and boho) nationally and internationally. To stand out as a reference in 925 Sterling Silver jewelry. And to stand out as a brand that respects the planet and the environment.
Mission: Online 925 Sterling Silver jewelry store which is focused on social networks, offering different, unique and soulful jewelry.
Values: Always see the glass as half full. Be grateful for every minute. Believe in us and in everything we are capable of achieving. To love ourselves and to love.
Why is the San Saru imagotype inspired by the "Three Wise Monkeys"?
The San Saru imagotype is inspired by the "Three Wise Monkeys" for its philosophy and concept. We feel very identified with the message of "See no evil, hear no evil and do no evil".
These three little monkeys are a very common symbol of Eastern culture. When we traveled around several Asian countries we saw them in countless places. And their significance made us fall in love with it.
The teaching of the blindfolded monkey, Mizaru, says not to focus on the negative things in life. The monkey that covers his ears, Kikazaru, recommends that we do not listen to criticism or messages that are harmful or do not help us. The teachings of the mouth-covering monkey, Iwazaru, recommend not to speak ill of others without foundation.
To make it more ours, we decided to change the order and meaning of the "Three Wise Monkeys" giving it an optimistic touch: "Say the good, see the good and hear the good". Keep the positive side of life!
When and how did you make the brand public?
San Saru became popular through Instagram. At first it was only sold through this social network, and we had everything from jewelry to ethnic bags. There were many girls who wrote to us, and little by little the followers began to grow.
Later on, we opened our first website. For a while we kept selling other boho style products, but finally we decided to go for the silver jewelry. It was and is our passion!
What marketing strategies have you adopted for this?
There is no magic formula. The constancy and passion that was reflected in everything we did worked for us. From the first moment, we bet on a human and close brand with its customers. That's our strong point!
Communication with people has been fundamental. We answer all messages quickly and efficiently, and we treat each case as if it were unique. And we always offer solutions to make the shopping experience a very positive one.
As many of you know, one of our main channels is Instagram. We have managed to create an active community that we call family. It sounds utopian, but our success on Social Networks is based on being ourselves and communicating with closeness and transparency.
Another very important point is the care and attention to detail, from the creation of the jewelry pieces to the sustainable packaging. Our products reflect the love for what we do, and that's something you can feel.
And what about the quality of the product? Any strategy has to be backed by a good quality product. If you like it and love it, you'll have a head start! People will share it and talk about your brand for what it is.
The above points are not marketing actions per se, but they have made us what we are! Every company is different, just have fun finding out what works for you and enjoy the journey.
Has Instagram been a definitive tool for the growth of San Saru?
It has certainly meant a great deal. San Saru took his first little steps on Instagram. This social network was very recent and we entered without knowing how it would work for us. But here we are! We took advantage of a key moment, there weren't many brands on the platform yet and it was easier to reach people.
After 5 years and a remarkable exponential growth, we can say that we have a very powerful community that shares our values.
And as we said before, Instagram is still our strongest channel today. It's an easy, visual way to show our beautiful jewelry and for you to see how good it looks. Plus, communication is easy and direct. We answer all direct messages really fast. We are available 24 hours a day!
What is your packaging?
Our main packaging consists of organza bags and wooden and cardboard boxes. We also have pouches and cloth bags that we include in orders over a certain amount. And finally, although it is not considered packaging as such, we have a beautiful and ideal pink jewelry box.
The organza bags are used to protect the jewelry. We use them to put necklaces, earrings, rings or bracelets individually. These are then added into the wooden and cardboard boxes. For every three jewelry pieces we use a box, but we can add an extra one if you ask for it.
As a curiosity, the boxes are made of wood from plantations and controlled forests. And every time a tree is cut down, another one is planted. They are recyclable and reusable!
As for the pouches and cloth bags, they are all made of 100% cotton. You can use them to store everything you want and need, they are very useful and practical.
In San Saru we have a "Plastic Free" mentality. We want all our packaging to be recyclable and environmentally friendly.
How do you design and create the San Saru jewelry?
Once we have the idea conceived, we start to put it into the computer by creating the jewelry piece in 3D format. This allows us to elaborate every detail to the millimeter and have a clear and precise idea of how the piece will be.
Once the piece has been approved, we materialize it using a 3D printer. The resin pieces are checked to guarantee the quality of the final product. In the case of rings with Natural Stones, we work with the original stone to see that the bezel is well adjusted and the measures are correct. And in the case of necklaces and bracelets, we try the chains on, to see if they fit correctly on the neck or wrist.
When everything is correct, we send the perfect piece to our foundry. There, a mold is created on the wax jewelry to make it in 925 Sterling Silver. When the final jewelry is cooled and demoulded, it is cleaned and polished to a flawless finish.
The whole process is carried out with great care and attention to detail so that the jewelry is ideal and of the highest quality.
Can you tell us a little bit about the team?
San Saru has a young and multidisciplinary team with a lot of energy and eager to improve. In 2020, we exceeded 30 people, and in just one year we have increased our staff by 150%.
We currently have several departments: orders, administration, customer service, marketing, content, IT and design. If you want to know more about us, take a look at this article.
We are more than a team: we are a family full of enthusiasm and passion. We work together rowing in the same direction with the aim of offering the most authentic jewelry and the best experience for you.
To know a little bit more about us, you can take a look at our Linkedin to keep up with all the inner workings of the brand and the team.
Entrepreneurship tips. What is essential?
There's no exact formula or specific tips, at least in our case. That's for sure! There is something that we have always been very clear about: we wanted to pursue our dream, be transparent and do things right. And to do this, it is essential to be constant and work countless hours. We have given everything of ourselves to get where we are!
Be clear about what you want to achieve and work hard (we don't want to fool you) to achieve it. But it's worth it, with San Saru we have achieved our life's work.
If we had to summarize our experience in brief advice, we would tell you the following:
- Passion: you have to be in love with what you do and bet on it, otherwise you won't be able to believe 100% in your project.
- Positivity: be optimistic and positive to perceive the opportunities around you.
- It is never the fault of others: we are masters of our actions and circumstances, and therefore we have the capacity and power to change them. Don't make excuses!
- Treat yourself as you would like to be treated: from your customer to your supplier to your team. What you give, you receive.
- Believe in yourself: trust in yourself is essential. Feel capable, happy, full and proud. Never lose faith in yourself.
- Constancy: you will have to work hard and overcome difficult moments. Be persevering and do not give up. Whoever sows, will reap!
- Time: don't expect success to come quickly. Be clear about what you want to achieve and dedicate all your time to your passion, invest your time and don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today. When your time comes, you will recover all that time invested.
Go for it! Luck doesn't exist, it's the path you take that will bring you success.
“Trust in your ability to dream. Keep your dream in mind and always know how, who and what you want to be. Do not stray from your goal. Dream and learn how to make your dreams come true. You just have wish for it and concentrate all your energy on your dream, put your will and enthusiasm into it and you will get what you set out to do. Believe it and everything will turn out as you dreamed.”