Talent Management loves Lily Cole’s new wild rubber jewellery collection launched yesterday. Unfortunately for us it has proved so popular that we’ve already missed our chance to grab a few items – from rings to necklaces – the entire collection has sold out!

When we heard that Cole’s range incorporated wild rubber we weren’t sure what to expect, but we love the simple designs – especially the pendants, which are reportedly also the 25-year-old’s favourite items. But the collection isn’t just about looking pretty. Cole was inspired to create the range – which she designed herself – in order to help protect the rain forest:

“It did feel like a bizarre idea at first,” The former supermodel and university graduate told Ellie Pithers of the Telegraph Online. “When someone says ‘rubber jewellery’ – I didn’t really have a precedent in my head of what that looks like to be honest with you. But what we’re trying to do is look at the ways that consumers in the UK can engage with wild rubber, and by purchasing it, protect the rainforest.

“Right now there isn’t a market distinction between wild rubber and plantation rubber. Essentially it costs more to produce wild rubber because it’s a much more manual, less industrialised process; local tappers have to go into the forest and tap the trees accordingly. In the short-term the land is more valuable for cattle farming, so currently there isn’t enough of a financial incentive to do wild rubber trading, to protect the forest from being deforested.”

The collection starts at a very reasonable £10 for a ring to £20 for a pendant and the response has been fantastic. So good that we don’t know whether we will actually get a chance to get our hands on a piece. Cole says: “This is a first limited collection and it won’t be enough to actually make a difference just yet. The purpose is to bring public awareness to the issue, find a lot of supporters in the future.” Well we think she has succeeded there, she has certainly got the attention of models and staff at Talent Management.