"Sustainable jewellery is the new frontier for the jewellery industry "- Vogue magazine, 2018.
I talk about fast fashion, sustainability and ethical jewellery a LOT but there is a lot of confusing information out there.
In this blog post, I’m going to explain in simple terms what ethical, sustainable jewellery is, why you should know about it and how to find it.
What is sustainable and ethical jewellery?
I guess for you, as a consumer, sustainability is all about:
- being aware of the purchases you make;
- taking the time to know how and where a piece of jewellery is made, and;
- supporting those brands that follow proper practices and have ethical values.
A recent survey showed that over 80% of consumers wanted sustainable and ethical jewellery, and were willing to pay more for it. But what exactly does ethical and sustainable mean and how can we be sure that’s what we’re getting?
Ethical jewellery
For jewellery to be ethical, all the processes involved in making it should cause no harm to the planet, or to the people making it.
For example, all of our jewellery is handmade by small communities in Brazil using sustainable materials sourced in the local area. The local artisans who make our jewellery are well compensated for their work and many of the artisans are women and this craft allows them to work from their homes whilst caring for their children.
Sustainable jewellery
For jewellery to be sustainable, the materials used in making the jewellery should be sourced responsibly, minimising the impact on the planet.
Like the golden grass which is used in much of our jewellery. Because of the high demand for golden grass, sustainable practices have been put in place by local governments and communities to help to control the harvesting of the plant.
Harvesting is only allowed between September and November, when the stem fully matures and displays the beautiful golden colour it is so well known for, and the roots must remain in place to avoid the plant becoming extinct.
The problem with the jewellery industry
So, why is it so important to choose ethical and sustainable jewellery?
We currently have a huge overconsumption problem in the UK when it comes to jewellery. By far, the majority of jewellery bought is worn just a couple of times before it ends up in landfill sites.
These days it is easy to buy cheap jewellery which doesn’t last very long before the silver, or gold plating starts to fade, or it breaks, and gets thrown in the bin.
Mining and traceability are the main concerns within the jewellery industry at the moment.
Traceability is pretty much non-existent in the jewellery industry and it is so difficult to find out where jewellery has come from, and what the conditions were for the people making it!
How can you help to protect the planet?
I know this all sounds very doom and gloom but together we CAN do something about it. We CAN change the way we shop for jewellery and make more educated choices.
When it comes to buying jewellery, the best thing you can do for the planet is to ask questions.
- Where did the materials used to make the jewellery come from?
- What were the working conditions for the people making the jewellery?
- What social impact does the brand have?
- Does the brand give back through charitable practices, like our promise to plant a tree for every sale made through our partnership with Ecologi?
- What packaging is used by the brand? Is it recyclable?
- Does the brand seem like they’re committed to sustainable and ethical jewellery?
The reason you’re reading this blog post is because you have an interest in our planet and the people on it. So, thank you for taking the time to read it, and please do share it and help us to educate people.
Until next time,
Daiane x
