5 Ethical & Sustainable Jewellery Brands You Will Want to Know About

Ethical & sustainable jewellery brands to shop for now. 

Sustainability can extend to jewellery brands, allowing you to make good choices while still remaining fashionable. Everyone is big on sustainability these days. From clothes to food, takeaway boxes to packaging — consumers and businesses are starting to keep the greater good in mind. As consumers and lovers of fashion, many people choose to opt for brands that use recycled items during production. But what about jewellery? 

With the increase in awareness regarding the exploitation of gemstones and environmental damage caused during production, it’s time to look into brands that are good for our planet. This is why we are bringing to the forefront brands that value sustainability while creating elegant, and unique pieces of jewellery. Here are seven sustainable jewellery brands that you will want to own.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post

Read – 5 Affordable Sustainable Clothing Brands You Will Want to Own

Trend Tonic

Not everyone can buy pure gold or platinum jewellery for everyday wear, which is why people turn to “junk jewellery” which is usually made with plastic and/or sterling silver. However, these materials also trigger allergies in many, and that is why Trend Tonic came into being. 

Founded by Kerry Clayton, she created this company in 2019 as a way to find an alternative to plastic. Kerry was born with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome which made it difficult for her to wear jewellery that wasn’t lightweight or hypoallergenic. 

Keeping that in mind, she opted to create jewellery out of cork leather which is lightweight and non-triggering to her EDS; but that’s not the only reason. Upon conducting tremendous research, Kerry found that cork leather is sturdy like animal leather but does not impact the environment negatively. It is eco-friendly, waterproof, and very easy to maintain making it the perfect choice for sustainable jewellery. Find out more about why cork leather is better here.

Trend Tonic has been doing really well since it first launched, and rightfully so since the brand keeps sustainability and ethical production in mind. Check out their products as their tassel earring collection is to die for as well as our faves like the Textured Gold Disc Earrings and Gold Cut Out Teardrop Earrings.

Wild Fawn Jewellery

Founder and CEO, Emma Barnes, is on a mission — offer ethically made and sustainable jewellery to anyone who fancies it. All the pieces they make are not just elegant and timeless but also durable as the team at Wild Fawn prioritises quality and longevity. Moreover, the materials used are ethical, especially the gold as they are a registered Fairtrade Gold business, and sourced responsibly to ensure minimal impact on the environment. 

Wild Fawn has a studio in South London where all the jewellery is made with the help of local suppliers and casters to reduce their carbon footprint. Even during production, the team ensures the products are priced reasonably and everything is made to order so supply stays consistent with the demand. The studio is eco-friendly as the Wild Fawn team keeps a close eye on their water usage and minimises the use of CFCs and lead-based paint. 

All in all, Wild Fawn goes to great lengths to not just provide sustainable jewellery and environment-friendly but share those values in their everyday life too (they have an eco-friendly microwave in the office, need we say more?).

If you are looking for some elegant and ethically created jewellery, then Wild Fawn is a brand you must look into. Silver Dot Necklace with Initial as well as their Saint Christopher Medallion Necklace.

Aurum Jewellery

A leading brand in Iceland, Aurum Jewellery came into being in 1999. Since then, they have done a tremendous job at offering one-of-a-kind designs that showcase the beauty of nature in Iceland. They have even been recognised by leaders in the industry such as Vogue, Time Out, and Conde Nast Traveller as well as won the “Best Jewellery Brand Award” by Eluxe Awards in 2020.

Aurum isn’t just a name but stands for Ambition, Understanding, Responsibility, Unity and Mindfulness. The company isn’t just dedicated to offering high-quality jewellery but also to creating a community where everyone is treated with respect, people pay attention to the needs of the environment, and no one is prejudiced against it. 

“Our brand name stands for Ambition, Understanding, Responsibility, Unity and Mindfulness. Aurum puts great emphasis on ambition through our design, product development, quality, and customer care. We show understanding of the needs of our clients and customers with respect and empathy and show responsibility throughout Aurum by developing a positive and respectable working environment that encourages collaboration and cooperation between employees. Aurum sources materials from certified fair-trade companies and provides environmentally friendly packaging for our clients and customers.

Aurum displays unity with our local community in Iceland by supporting charities with short and long-term projects and donating all profits from those projects to selected causes. Aurum is an equal opportunities company and encourages mindfulness and a prejudice-free environment where everyone has a voice“. – Guðbjörg co-founder and designer.

The company values sustainability like no other and makes a conscious effort to ensure everything they do is safe for the environment. Starting from sourcing their materials to packaging, and even energy use —everything is kept in mind. They only source recycled and re-refined precious metals and use lab-grown diamonds, package them in the fibre of the mulberry tree and only produce in Iceland since Iceland uses 100% energy from renewable resources. 

Their collection has a variety of designs including wedding rings. We love the Erika Bracelet and the Sand Bracelet.

Read – How to Create an Elegant Capsule Jewellery Wardrobe

KIND Collection

Staying true to the meaning of the word, KIND Collection, is all about being an ethical business that offers unique jewellery without putting the environment at risk. While some companies manufacture products and then think about sustainability, KIND prioritises sustainability and makes everything revolve around it —from production to packaging.

The jewellery pieces are all made by hand at a studio in London by founder Tansy Haak and her team of stone setters, engravers, and casters. The best part is that while all of their materials are ethically sourced and 100% recycled if there is anything they cannot source themselves, they source it from Hatton Garden Suppliers who are regularly audited and can also provide evidence of ethical production. 

Apart from sources and production of the pieces, they also use biodegradable bags for storage. Plus, they use vegan polishing and non-toxic pickles for oxidisation. KIND Collection makes an honest effort to reclaim, recycle and repurpose everything possible and plant trees to reduce carbon footprint. 

They may be small but are doing everything they can to make a big difference. Check out some of their bestsellers like Rose Gold Demi Orbit Ring and the Silver Otto Disc Necklace

Yala Jewellery

Speaking of statement jewellery, if you are looking for something that is out of the box, you need to check out Yala. An African sustainable jewellery brand, Yala was founded by Audrey Migot-Adholla who was born in Kenya and is now based in Bristol. Her vision was to change the way people perceived Africa and its people by bringing forward the beauty of her culture through jewellery. 

Now, not only does Audrey have a massive team in Kenya to back her up but Yala has won the “Jewellery Brand of the Year” award in 2019. But it is not just the unique reflection of Africa in the jewellery that makes Yala popular, but the efforts Audrey has taken to be a sustainable company. Yala is the first jewellery brand in the UK to achieve a Certified B Corporation status for their efforts to maintain transparency, source materials ethically, and follow ethical practices like hygienic working conditions, no child labour, no forced labour etc. 

All of the materials they use (brass, horn, leather, glass etc) can be reused and recycled. Moreover, each of their packaging boxes and bags can be either reused or composted. They have tried to eliminate plastic as much as possible as well and their delivery is 100% neutral carbon(more information is available on their website).

The pieces on the website are vibrant, unique, and stand out in the best possible ways. Their Lela 3-Way Brass Earrings and Zero Waste Brass Pendant are pieces that would look great with any outfit!

By Shibani Sen