Though materials like gold and diamonds are natural products, not all jewelry created with them is eco-friendly. Excavating land in search of these items disrupts the earth and uses many harmful tools and chemicals. Some manufacturers use harsh chemicals when creating their products, and many are extremely wasteful in their manufacturing processes.
Many jewelry manufacturers claim to have eco-friendly products, but some of these products are not really eco-friendly. If you are looking for authentic eco-friendly jewelry, you need to use the following tips to help you in your search.
1. Check from where their materials come from.
Metals are found through mining, and mining is not good for the earth as it uses harsh chemicals. Many changes are being made to mining, making it less invasive to the land and allowing miners to use less harmful chemicals and tools in their searches. In order to be completely eco-friendly, jewelry manufacturers should not employ miners to find their materials and should rely on recycled or man made materials for their products. Truly eco-friendly companies will not hesitate to tell you exactly where your jewelry came from. If a company hesitates to offer you this information, you can be sure it is not eco-friendly.
2. Opt for recycled.
If you have old, broken or unused jewelry, find a reputable jeweler that will take these items and use them to create new pieces. These companies will melt your old pieces and turn them into something new, and some will even allow you to reuse your own old jewelry and turn it into a new piece that you will purchase. This reduces the amount of materials in the landfills and also reduces the amount of mining done to find new materials.
3. Choose fine jewelry.
Many green manufacturers produce fine jewelry, not just your everyday pieces. Items such as engagement rings can be found with eco-friendly materials. Fine jewelry is always a good option because these pieces tend to last you for an extremely long time, and they may even be passed down from generation to generation. This not only keeps them out of landfills, but it also reduces the amount of jewelry that needs to be purchased.
4. Buy cultured pearls.
Cultured pearls are grown through aquaculture. By farming pearls in water, there is no need to search for these items on land or interrupt ecosystems. When a farmer cultivates pearls, they sell them to eco-friendly jewelers, and they sell the oyster shells to other companies who will use it. This way, all of the oyster is used and there is no waste.
5. Read labels on commercial products.
When a piece of jewelry is made from natural products, it will say this on their label. Hemp and cotton wood are two great products that are often used in jewelry. Glass or wood pendants are also a good eco-friendly option. The only thing to be cautious of is that you’ll have to trust the label, which can be deceitful, and you also won’t know how the jewelry was made.
If you want to purchase an eco-friendly piece of jewelry, you need to do your research. Check for pieces that use eco-friendly materials, and also opt for those companies that utilize eco-friendly production processes.