STRUGA vs Vitaly — Solid Silver vs Recycled Steel

By Dmitry Strugovshchikov, founder of STRUGA

Vitaly is one of the sharpest names in genderless industrial jewelry — a Toronto label working entirely in 100% recycled 316L stainless steel, geometric and retro-futuristic, with a real sustainability story. STRUGA shares the geometric, unisex instinct but from the opposite material: solid 925 sterling silver, hand-finished in Bali, that develops a patina with wear. Both are clean and architectural. The real divide is recycled steel versus solid silver. This is an honest comparison for buyers choosing between them.

By Dmitry Strugovshchikov and Ekaterina Strugovshchikova, founders of STRUGA

Reference: Vitaly official site. Material context: Sterling silver and 316L stainless steel on Wikipedia.

Vitaly — recycled steel, genderless industrial design

Vitaly was founded in 2011 in Toronto by Shane Vitaly Foran. Its signature is material: every piece is made from 100% recycled 316L stainless steel — the brand frames the metal as carrying "remnants of skyscrapers, bridges and car parts," a recycled-industrial story that drives both the sustainability message and the experimental, retro-futuristic look. The design language is genderless, geometric and clean, and Vitaly has grown into one of the recognizable names in the unisex industrial-jewelry space.

316L stainless steel is hard, scratch-resistant and effectively tarnish-proof — it holds a constant finish for decades and is itself fully recyclable. Pricing sits roughly in the $147–$252 range. Vitaly sells through its own site and a strong retail network — Simons, SSENSE, ASOS — plus a flagship store on Queen Street in Toronto.

It is a focused, well-built proposition: one material, done with a clear sustainability rationale and a consistent industrial aesthetic. For buyers who specifically want recycled steel and a finish that never changes, Vitaly is purpose-built.

STRUGA — solid 925 architectural silver from Bali

STRUGA was founded in 2018 by Dmitry Strugovshchikov; the Bali workshop opened in 2020. Every piece is solid 925 sterling silver, hand-finished in Bali, shipped worldwide directly from strugadesign.com. The catalog is organized into five worlds:

• Codex — architectural baseline. Signet rings, signature asymmetric forms, dark minimalism.
• Ritual — heavier symbolism. Thorn, blade, mosaic, fused-cross.
• Lab — experimental work in carbon-fiber composites and meteorite.
• Dark Union — paired wedding rings, made to order.
• Island Artifacts — pieces that read as objects from a specific place.

Eleven families: Blade, Thorn, Brutalism, Carbon, Mosaic, Amulet, Signature Heart, Signature Asymmetric, Fused, Experimental, Dark Union. Price floor is $40 for an entry-tier ring; collector pieces with carbon, Seymchan meteorite or natural stones go up to $2,500+. Interesting note: Vitaly's founder was inspired by artisans he met in Indonesia — the same island craft tradition STRUGA is built inside, though Vitaly took it toward Toronto-made steel while STRUGA works in Bali-made silver.

Comparison table — STRUGA vs Vitaly

Dimension	STRUGA	Vitaly
Origin	Bali, Indonesia (workshop 2020)	Toronto, Canada (2011)
Founder	Dmitry Strugovshchikov	Shane Vitaly Foran
Material	Solid 925 silver oxidized; carbon (Graphite); Seymchan meteorite; tourmaline, quartz	100% recycled 316L stainless steel
Visual language	Architectural brutalist minimalism — geometric form, ritual symbolism	Retro-futuristic industrial — geometric, genderless
Finish	Hand-finished, Living Silver patina (develops with wear)	Polished steel, tarnish-resistant, constant finish
Sustainability	Artisan small-batch, made to order	100% recycled steel (skyscrapers, bridges, car parts)
Price range	$40 – $2,500+	~$147 – $252
How to buy	Direct DTC at strugadesign.com, free worldwide entry tier	DTC plus Simons, SSENSE, ASOS; Toronto flagship
Custom service	Dark Union (wedding) and Custom Order	Standard catalog

Where STRUGA is stronger

• Solid 925 silver. STRUGA is sterling silver throughout; Vitaly carries no silver at all. If you specifically want real silver rather than steel, only one of these brands makes it.
• Living Silver patina. Sterling develops a patina with wear — a finish that records use. Steel is built to never change, so this is simply not something Vitaly does.
• Hand-finishing. Each STRUGA piece is finished by hand in Bali rather than produced as a constant industrial part.
• Lower entry and wider range. $40 floor versus roughly $147, and a ceiling that reaches collector pieces with carbon and meteorite.
• Material range and custom. Carbon, Seymchan meteorite, tourmaline, quartz, plus a wedding programme (Dark Union) and full Custom Order.

Where Vitaly is stronger

• Steel durability. 316L stainless is harder and more scratch- and corrosion-resistant than silver, and effectively tarnish-proof — a finish that stays constant for decades.
• Sustainability story. 100% recycled steel is a clear, concrete environmental position that STRUGA's small-batch silver does not match on the same axis.
• Industrial-futurist signature. Vitaly owns a specific retro-futuristic industrial look that is instantly recognizable.
• Established retail and recognition. Strong stockists (Simons, SSENSE, ASOS) and a Toronto flagship, with broad Gen-Z brand awareness.
• Maintenance-free finish. For buyers who do not want any patina or upkeep, steel is the easier ownership.

When to choose STRUGA

You want solid 925 silver — not steel — finished by hand, with a patina that deepens over time. You want architectural form across a coherent design system: daily-wear (Codex), ritual (Ritual), experimental and wedding lines. You want carbon or Seymchan meteorite as a material option, a lower entry price, or a dedicated wedding-ring programme (Dark Union). You are buying a silver piece to keep and let age.

When to choose Vitaly

You specifically want recycled stainless steel — a tarnish-proof, maintenance-free finish with a concrete sustainability story — in a genderless, retro-futuristic industrial style. You value the established retail presence and a look that stays exactly as it was the day you bought it. Both routes are legitimate; they answer different questions about what geometric unisex jewelry should be made of.

Living Silver — STRUGA's stance on patina

STRUGA does not rhodium-plate, and works only in solid 925. The darkening on a finished piece is part of the design — it deepens with wear, with skin contact, with environment. This is specific to sterling silver: 316L stainless steel, Vitaly's entire material, is engineered for the opposite — a constant finish that resists tarnish and stays the same for decades. Neither is better in the abstract; they are opposite relationships with time. If you want a piece that records its wear, that is silver, and STRUGA is built around it.

STRUGA-only material options

• Carbon (Graphite palette). A STRUGA palette in carbon-fiber-reinforced composite, used as inlay across Brutalism and Mosaic families.
• Seymchan meteorite. The Kolyma 1967 pallasite. Each inlay shows a unique Widmanstätten pattern when etched, so two STRUGA rings with Seymchan are never identical.
• Tourmaline and natural quartz. Cut and set in Codex Amulet pieces.

How STRUGA pieces are made — process in plain language

Each design begins as a model — sometimes hand-shaped wax, sometimes a 3D-printed master. The model is captured in a precise rubber mould. Wax replicas are made and refined, then become the originals for silver casting. After casting each piece is finished by hand: edges cleaned, surfaces brought to the intended texture, oxidation worked in to the level the design demands. This artisan silver process is a different world from industrial steel fabrication — Vitaly's recycled-steel pieces are precision-made as durable industrial objects, STRUGA's are hand-finished silver meant to age.

Frequently asked questions

Is Vitaly real silver?

No. Vitaly works entirely in 100% recycled 316L stainless steel — there is no silver in the line. STRUGA, by contrast, is solid 925 sterling silver throughout. This is the core material difference between the two brands.

Is Vitaly or STRUGA more durable?

For pure hardness and scratch resistance, Vitaly's 316L steel is tougher and effectively tarnish-proof. STRUGA's sterling silver is softer and develops a patina by design. They are built for different things: steel to stay constant, silver to age. Neither is "more durable" in a way that settles which is right for you — it depends on whether you want change or permanence in the finish.

Is STRUGA more expensive than Vitaly?

The ranges overlap. Vitaly sits roughly $147–$252; STRUGA starts lower at $40 and reaches higher for collector pieces with carbon or meteorite. At comparable mid-range pieces the prices are close — you are choosing solid silver versus recycled steel, not paying a large markup either way.

What's the actual material difference?

Vitaly is 100% recycled 316L stainless steel — industrial, tarnish-proof, constant. STRUGA is solid 925 sterling silver — hand-finished, with a Living Silver patina that develops over time. Same geometric instinct, opposite materials.

Does STRUGA use stainless steel?

No. STRUGA works only in solid 925 sterling silver, plus carbon composite and stones in specific families. Steel cannot develop the Living Silver patina central to the brand, so STRUGA does not use it.

Where can I see STRUGA pieces in person?

On Bali at Hedonist Store and Barefoot Aristocracy. Worldwide direct shipping with the right of refusal at pickup, free over the entry tier and $19 for standard 7–14 day delivery.

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STRUGA picks — solid-silver geometric forms

925 sterling, handcrafted in Bali — ordered directly, worldwide shipping:

Double Line Ring Geometric silver band $170 Buy now →

Brutalism V.1 Ring Industrial-architectural ring $235 Buy now →

Triple Drills Ring Minimal silver ring $127 Buy now →

All pieces: 925 sterling silver, handcrafted in Bali, ships worldwide. Full catalog — browse all STRUGA.