Sustainable Jewelry: Making an Impact on the Environment
If you’ve ever bought jewelry, then you have heard of the term “sustainable jewelry”. But what does it mean? Sustainable jewelry is a type of jewelry that is produced with eco-friendly materials and processes that are designed to reduce environmental impact and preserve natural resources. It is a great way for consumers to make an impact on the environment through their purchases. Let’s take a closer look at why sustainable jewelry is important and how it can benefit both people and the planet.
This can include anything from recycled materials to ethically sourced gemstones to vintage or secondhand pieces. Basically, if it doesn’t put unnecessary strain on the environment or exploit workers, it can be considered sustainable!
Now that we know what makes something “sustainable,” let’s talk about some specific examples of sustainable jewelry:
- Recycled Materials
One way to make sustainable jewelry is by using recycled materials that would otherwise end up in landfills. The most common example of this is using recycled metals like gold, silver, and copper. But recycled materials can also include everything from recycled glass to recycled plastics.
2. Ethically Sourced Gemstones
Another type of sustainable jewelry is made with ethically sourced gemstones. This means that the stones were mined in a way that minimized environmental impact and that workers were treated fairly throughout the entire process. Unfortunately, the majority of gemstones on the market today are NOT ethically sourced. So, if this is something that’s important to you, definitely do your research before making a purchase!
The Benefits of Sustainable Jewelry
Sustainable jewelry has many benefits, including reducing waste, using renewable energy sources, supporting local communities, and providing fair wages to workers. When producing sustainable jewelry, companies use recycled metals and gemstones in place of mined resources. This helps reduce the amount of mining required for new products, which reduces pollution from mining activities as well as improving safety conditions for workers in mines around the world. Sustainable jewelry also uses renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power to power production facilities instead of relying on traditional sources like coal or oil. This helps reduce carbon emissions from production facilities and contributes to reducing global warming.
The Three Pillars of Sustainable Jewelry
The three pillars of sustainable jewelry are environmental sustainability, social sustainability, and economic sustainability:
- Environmental Sustainability: Environmental sustainability refers to the ability of the environment to support current and future generations. The jewelry industry has a large environmental footprint due to mining, manufacturing, and shipping. Sustainable jewelry reduces the environmental impact of the industry by using recycled or sustainable materials, using low-impact or eco-friendly production methods, and supporting fair labor practices.
- Social Sustainability: Social sustainability refers to the ability of people to live in harmony with each other. The jewelry industry has a long history of human rights abuses, particularly in diamond mining regions. Buying certified conflict-free diamonds helps to support better working conditions for miners. In addition, supporting fair labor practices throughout the supply chain helps to ensure that workers are treated fairly and paid a living wage.
- Economic Sustainability: Economic sustainability refers to the ability of an economy to support current and future generations. The jewelry industry is a major contributor to the global economy, with an estimated worth of $362 billion USD in 2018. However, much of this wealth is concentrated in developed countries, while developing countries where most diamonds are mined struggle to benefit from the industry’s growth. Buying certified conflict-free diamonds helps to ensure that more of the diamond industry’s wealth benefits diamond-producing countries.
Sustainable jewelry is an important part of creating a more sustainable future for everyone on our plane, and by buying sustainable jewelry from responsible jewelers who support businesses that have a positive impact on our environment and society as a whole.
Get yourself some ethical bling! The world will thank you!
