Alixandra Barron Klein of Gunnison, Colorado-based upcycled jewelry brand ABD Culture creates weightless and waterproof works of art — out of the discarded remains from inner tubes of bicycles.

These fiercely feminine, bold but delicate designs offer adventure enthusiasts an elegant way to express themselves with waterproof jewelry wear that feels practically weightless.

Whether biking, swimming, skiing or dressing up for a day or night out, these custom pieces give any “eco-nista” the confidence to shine with their accessible, eco-friendly and alluring selection of bracelets, earrings and necklaces.

ABD Culture stands for “Alixandra Barron Designs Culture.” As the founder and jewelry maker, Klein has been crafting her pieces for over a decade.

After a childhood upbringing in Vermont with a family that emphasized the importance of protecting and preserving the environment, and university education at one of New York City’s prestigious art schools, Klein realized life in the “big city” wasn’t as satisfying as her love for outdoor space (and desire for a “well-balanced nervous system”). She returned to a more rural lifestyle in Crested Butte, Colorado, working in art education with the dream of being an art teacher.

“I quickly recognized that I wanted to combine my work life and my love of art into one thing,” she says.

With a stint in Lake Tahoe, California, taking a job as an assistant for a jewelry designer, a ski instructor and team manager for the Sugar Bowl Academy, Klein said her life felt like a “duality between wanting to be an outdoor arena and being a very passionate artist.”

One day, Klein’s friend was seen sporting some feather earrings made out of rubber bike tubes. She knew her inspiration for a unique opportunity to create something no one else in the industry was making (and could create a positive impact on the Earth) had come along.

She made her first pair of hand-cut feathers out of bike tubes as a gift to bring to Burning Man, and the rest is history. Over the years, her methods have improved in speed and efficiency, such as learning that lasers are far better at cutting rubber than scissors and playing with various designs and types of technology. But the creativity, passion for fashion and dedication to the planet remain at the heart and soul of it all.

“I was just totally blown away. All of a sudden, the sky was the limit with the designs I could create and the intricacies that I could get,” she says. “That was kind of the beginning of ABD Culture.”

Fast forward a decade, and her work is featured in dozens of wholesale shops around the country — from artisan boutiques to local shops, as well as online.

Klein dubs her work “durable lace.” She says her loyal customers from across the country frequently reach out and let her know how many compliments they receive while wearing her work.

“They are so lightweight, you can wear them no matter what you are doing. Plus, they look great,” she says.

The incredibly dainty design feels like a funky and fun balance between delicate and durable. ABD Culture jewelry can be worn for work, working out and just going out and about daily life. Her customers include a community of link-minded, strong-minded and bodied people who wear their hearts (and their hobbies) on their bodies in the form of jewelry that weighs roughly four grams or less (which is roughly the weight of a teaspoon of white table sugar).

“Getting [the] aspect of the design is very important,” Klein says. “You want to feel sexy, even if you're wearing, you know, a bike tube — and you want it to kind of express part of who you are.”

Those interested in Klein’s work can visit her website, follow her on Instagram or explore her designs at brick-and-mortar retailers across the U.S., from San Francisco, California, to Stowe, Vermont, and many places in between.

Originally published in the Spring 2025 issue of Spoke+Blossom.

This Colorado Creator Makes Fiercely Feminine, Lightweight Jewelry Out of Junked Bike Tubes