Jewellery: 14 eco-friendly brands to know

Alighieri crafts Modern Heirlooms using 100% recycled silver, bronze, and gold, ensuring each piece is hand-cast locally in London's Hatton Garden to support British manufacturing and reduce the carbon footprint. The brand's commitment to sustainability extends to ethically sourced diamonds, pearls, and gemstones, with a focus on responsible sourcing and a life-long guarantee for jewellery. Alighieri's dedication to community support is evident through charitable partnerships and donations, including efforts with the Conservation Lower Zambezi and the Trussell Trust, reflecting a conscious approach to both environmental and social responsibility.

All Blues is committed to sustainable practices by using recycled sterling silver and 24K gold, sourced within Sweden, for their handcrafted jewelry, ensuring no waste in their production cycle. Their collaboration with a local, third-generation foundry near Stockholm, employing small-scale production and responsible methods, supports local craftsmanship and significantly reduces carbon emissions. The brand's approach to design blends traditional wax-casting with modern 3D-printing techniques, fostering a unique aesthetic while maintaining high ethical standards throughout their manufacturing process.

ARTICLE22 is a social enterprise that transforms war scrap metal into jewelry, reinvesting profits to support Laotian artisan families and community development. The brand's Peacebomb collection, including the iconic bracelet, is handcrafted by artisans who earn at least five times the local minimum wage, promoting economic growth and land safety in a country that is the most bombed per capita in history. Additionally, ARTICLE22's commitment to sustainability extends to clearing bomb-littered land with each purchase and contributing to community funds for infrastructure and education, fostering a cycle of positive impact and social change.

Bound Studios stands out for its dedication to sustainable jewelry, offering a 2-year warranty on pieces crafted from recycled sterling silver and ethically sourced gemstones, with a focus on quality over quantity. The brand's European-made jewelry reflects a commitment to fair labor practices and cruelty-free materials, ensuring that each piece is good karma guaranteed. Additionally, Bound Studios supports a circular economy through its Jewelry Exchange Program, allowing customers to return used items for shop credit, thus reducing waste and promoting the value of recycled materials.

Dear Darling Berlin crafts fine jewelry using recycled 925 sterling silver and 14k gold sourced from Germany, Italy, and Spain. Founded in 2020 by Lisa Zaiser, the brand is committed to ethical production, collaborating with family-owned jewelry businesses to ensure fair working conditions and wages. Beyond their eco-friendly materials and local manufacturing, Dear Darling Berlin actively supports social causes, contributing 1% of annual sales to organizations such as emergency aid for Ukraine and initiatives for gender pay equality.

Design Letters demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainability through various initiatives. Their products, such as the Ecozen® tableware and textiles made from certified organic cotton, emphasize the use of eco-friendly, renewable, and recyclable materials. The brand has also transitioned to FSC certified paper and recycled silver for their jewelry. Since 2018, Design Letters has prioritized environmentally friendly transport, with 98% of their goods transported by cargo ship and train. Their approach to packaging is equally responsible, with 95% currently plastic-free and a goal to eliminate disposable plastic entirely. The brand maintains transparency and builds trust through long-term relationships with a small group of suppliers, sharing a code of behavior focused on environmental and social responsibility.

FUTURA Jewelry uses exclusively mercury-free 18kt Certified Fairmined Ecological gold, sourced from just three certified mines globally that adhere to stringent ecological standards. FUTURA is a partner with the United Nations to eliminate global mercury emissions. Their collections are crafted by skilled artisans in New York City.

JEM, as the first French jeweller to adopt the Fairmined standard, ensures that its gold is ethically sourced from artisanal mines committed to stringent ecological and social practices. In addition to ethical gold, JEM offers lab-grown diamonds, aligning with their vision of creating jewellery that embodies both elegance and a conscious commitment to people and the planet.

Lilian von Trapp focuses on recycled materials, such as gold and vintage diamonds with each piece is handcrafted in Germany to ensure quality and promote eco-friendly luxury.

Monica Vinader is dedicated to responsible and sustainable production, using only 100% recycled gold and sterling silver, and offering 100% recyclable packaging. The brand is committed to transparency, with a Product Passport that allows customers to trace the journey of their jewelry, and maintains ethical sourcing practices, including conflict-free diamonds and traceable gemstones. To support a circular economy, Monica Vinader provides a 5-year warranty, lifetime repairs, and a jewelry recycling scheme, emphasizing the longevity and recyclability of its products.

SO-LE STUDIO, established by Maria Sole Ferragamo, upcycles leftover materials like leather and brass to craft distinctive sculptural jewelry, emphasizing the beauty in repurposing with a commitment to limited production runs. The brand's Milan-based creative hub designs two main collections annually, alongside continuous reinterpretation of iconic pieces, ensuring both innovation and longevity.

WALD Berlin, established by Dana Roski, commits to fair trade practices and female empowerment by employing a collective of German women, including mothers and grandmothers, in the production of their jewelry. Emphasizing environmental responsibility, the brand uses recycled silver and gold and has launched a customer repair service to extend product longevity. The brand maintains a transparent production chain within Germany, supports social causes through partnerships, and is working towards using renewable energy and reusable packaging to further enhance its sustainability efforts.

YU STEPANEL's commitment to sustainability is demonstrated through their handcrafted jewelry, made to order in small quantities to minimize waste and encourage a culture of slow fashion. The brand's use of locally sourced talent and reclaimed metals, such as recycled sterling silver and gold, underscores their dedication to reducing their environmental footprint. Additionally, YU STEPANEL's partnership with trusted suppliers like Cooksongold, certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council, ensures ethical sourcing and production practices, while their recyclable premium packaging reflects ongoing efforts to find environmentally friendly solutions.