NOGU's Amici Collection: Meaning and Significance of Our Friendship Bracelets

Throughout the pandemic, we’ve had the chance to grow closer and stronger connections with our friends and loved ones. Connections with other people have been some of the only things we can really hang onto when many of us are out of work, lost, and unsure of what the future will look like.

That’s why we wanted to do a special Amici relaunch. This past year has proven that we need to hold our friends and family close, and our Amici Collection was made for that. Each intricate, handmade bracelet is designed to commemorate the friendship between you and your best friend or group of friends. Every time you look down at your Amici bracelet, you’ll think about them - and all the amazing times you’ve had together.

What Exactly is Our Amici Collection?

The handcrafted bracelets in this collection are a unique twist on the classic friendship bracelets many of us remember from our childhood.

The Amici Macramé bracelets are handwoven and represent the tight-knit bond that we create and continue to strengthen over time. Designed in a variety of colors, they’re meant to be shared as totems of friendship between 2 or more people.

Just like so many of our collections, they are unique - and yet all the same. Their colors represent both individuality and unity that exist between friends. For instance, you may be a Black & Gold while your best friend may be a Coral & Silver. Either way, you are both "Amici" and your bracelets will represent this duality and unity in their design.

In Italian, “amici” means friend. It is one of the most powerful words in the Italian language and one that is used universally to describe someone that is just as important as family. You might have slight differences, but you are inextricably linked through your fundamental similarities.

How Long Have Friendship Bracelets Been Around?

It’s tough to pin down the exact origin of friendship bracelets. Some sources suggest that knotted bracelets (which resemble the classic design of friendship bracelets) first appeared in ancient China, whereas other sources point to mourning jewelry made in the 17th-19th century. Fun fact: mourning jewelry from these centuries was commonly made with strands of your loved one’s hair. Back then, making jewelry out of hair was the only way to keep someone close to you while you were apart.

Friendship bracelets began making their rounds in the United States throughout the early 1970s and 1980s. At this time, America was full of protest and threats of war, so friendship bracelets were a way to unify instead of divide. People eventually gravitated toward “peace and love” instead of war and hate, thus making friendship bracelets wildly popular.

Meaning Behind the Colors of Friendship Bracelets

In order to pick the best friendship bracelet for you and your amici, it might be important to keep in mind the significance behind the colors we offer:

Black

Energy, generosity, and vitality

White

Calm, strength, and creativity

Coral

Luck, positivity, and harmony

What are you waiting for? Celebrate your friends and family with a set of bracelets from our Amici Collection and tag us on social media with your Amici goodies! We love sharing your stellar photos, and we’re always truly honored by your support and excitement. Each of you are our besties :)