15 Sustainable + Ethical Jewelry Brands in the USA
Want to avoid greenwashing in the jewelry industry? Today I’m sharing 15 sustainable brands from the USA (if you are in the UK, check out this post instead)
Image credit: Astor and Orion
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If you’re into ethical fashion, it’s not a huge leap to assume you prefer sustainable jewelry too.
Shopping for trends is out and expressing your own personal style is the best way to fall in love with your accessories while standing out from the crowd.
But how do you know if a brand is telling the truth about ethical?
In this post, I’m going to share everything you need to know about finding sustainable jewelry and avoiding greenwashing before listing 15 of the best ethical jewelry brands in the USA.
COMING UP
Fast fashion fast jewellery
What does sustainable jewellery mean?
Jewelry certifications to look out for
15 ethical jewellery brands in the USA
Fast fashion fast jewelry
Thanks to trend culture, fast fashion brands have been mass-producing poor-quality jewelry from toxic materials for a long time. This business model relies on cheap labour so corporations pay no attention to child labour or unsafe conditions in the mines they use.
As people have become more aware of the issues in fast fashion, the focus has also spread to ethical jewelry. Now that people know the truth, they don’t want to financially support an exploitative industry that profits from slavery, genocide, and environmental destruction.
Keep reading to learn which sustainable jewelry brands are not greenwashing.
What does sustainable jewelry mean?
If jewelry is sustainable it means it prioritises the welfare of the miners and factory workers in the supply chain while minimising its environmental impact at every step of production.
Fair to the planet
Toxic chemicals, like mercury and cyanide, are used to extract gold from the earth. Not only is this damaging the surrounding ecosystems, but it contaminates wildlife which ends up in our food chain. Diamond mining has also wreaked environmental havoc throughout many parts of the world. In 2018, 147 million carats of diamond were mined which required 372 billion litres of water.
Fair to people
Due to brands using long and secretive supply chains, it is difficult to know where gold and diamonds came from and if workers were abused in the process. Many brands say their materials are “ethically sourced” without providing any evidence that they trace their supply chain or check that they are free from child labour.
This is where certifications come in.
Ethical Jewelry Certifications to look out for
Third-party certifications are necessary to back up a jewelry brand's sustainability claims, however, the most popular schemes allow brands to greenwash because of their weak criteria.
✅ Fairtrade — This well-known certification ensures brands are paying fair prices to small-scale miners to improve working conditions and reduce the use of dangerous chemicals used. Brands also have to pay a premium that goes towards improving healthcare and environmental protections.
✅ Fairmined — The aim of the Fairmined initiative is to support small-scale mining communities by producing gold with responsible management and reduction of toxic chemicals, and with mining practices that preserve the environment. The label guarantees the gold is traceable back to empowered miners who receive fair wages and safe working conditions.
✅ Fairmined Ecological gold - Fairmined Ecological Gold goes one step further than all others by extracting and processing gold without using any toxic chemicals at all within the mining organization. The miners also need to comply with additional requirements to minimize ecological alterations.
✅ Institute for Responsible Mining Assurance — The IRMA is the only third-party certificate for industrial mining sites. It applies to specific mines rather than the mining companies and ranks the sites according to a step model of improvement.
✅ Canada Mark — The Dominion Diamond Corporation, has introduced a line of traceable diamonds called CanadaMark that can be traced back to two mines in Canada. This certification ensures the full traceability of diamonds as the larger pieces are laser marked with a code that proves their origin. Humans were not exploited in the mining of CanadaMark diamonds.
❌The Kimberley Process — This is an international standard for diamonds with the purpose to stop blood diamonds from entering the market. Diamonds with this certification are marked as conflict-free, however, it does not guarantee there are no human rights violations, abuse, or child labour in the mining of diamonds so it should not be solely relied on. Read more about how the Kimberley process is not protecting people from conflict.
❌Responsible Jewelry Council — The RJC is the leading standard in the sustainable jewelry industry that is supposed to ensure the labor rights and safety of the workers. According to Human Rights Watch, their standards are weak. One concern is members are given 2 years to comply with the terms after joining. As of 2020, 30% of RJC’s 1256 members were not meeting sustainability criteria yet still benefitting from the label. The other is that tracing metals back to the country of origin (not the mine!) is voluntary and only 8% of members have been certified.
Don’t be put off if a brand is certified by the Responsible Jewelry Council or uses Kimberley Process diamonds, it isn’t a bad thing, it just isn’t an indicator that the brand is sustainable. Instead, look at where the brand’s products are made, if the materials used are eco-friendly, and if they trace their supply chain to ensure there is no child or slave labour in the mines they use.
15 Sustainable + Ethical Jewelry Brands In The USA
1. Futura
Futura is a sustainable jewelry brand that exclusively uses Fairmined ecological gold which is the only type of gold that is mined without toxic chemicals, like mercury.
It traces all of its supply chain and ensures payment of a living wage. Each product is made by hand in the USA to reduce its carbon footprint.
2. Common Era
Common Era is a 100% women-owned, independent business that brings mythological stories to life through its jewellery.
Its Amare Collection makes the perfect gift for a loved one as it represents a secret message written in gemstones. While each piece in the Goddess collection (see photo) is an inspired heroine and deity from Ancient Greek mythology.
Its unique designs are handmade in small batches from recycled metals and conflict-free gemstones. They create their products in a responsible jewellery council-certified studio in the EU and 3% of their profits go to animal welfare charities and slaughterhouse survivors.
3. Astor + Orion
Astor + Orion is a partnership between renowned American sculptor, Tomas Wittelsbach, and Karen Hartman. Designs are printed in 3D and transferred to the factory to be cast in recycled metal.
Hartman chose to partner with an ethical factory in Thailand for their manufacturing. She chose it because it has a state-of-the-art water filtration system, which earned them an international certification for its environmental practices.
Inspired by nature, mandalas and kaleidoscopes, Astor and Orion are reminding the world that sustainable products are anything but boring.
4. Aurate Jewelry
Aurate Jewelry makes luxury modern jewelry from sustainably harvested pearls, ethically sourced diamonds and 100% recycled gold. They say the mines they use are run under safe working conditions with fair wages and the utmost respect for the local indigenous communities.
Aurate also makes ethical engagement jewelry, ear rings, bracelets and gemstone jewelry.
5. Ooloop
Ooloop is a sustainable marketplace that sells ethical jewelry, fashion and accessories from various designers.
It is a woman-owned, Green America-certified business that believes all jewelry (and fashion) should exist in an infinite loop. Every piece created should be able to be upcycled, repaired and recycled at the end of its life.
Ooloop is a carbon-neutral company and a member of 1% For The Planet.
6. Ten Thousand Villages
Ten Thousand Villages is an ethical marketplace in the USA selling jewelry and products for your home that were handmade by artisans. All items are certified Fairtrade so you can be sure that the people making your jewelry were paid a living wage.
Find ethical earrings, bracelets, necklaces and rings handmade by artisans from around the world in safe working conditions. Each product page provides specific information about the maker.
7. Kinn
Kinn Studio produces high-quality solid gold jewelry from sustainable recycled gold. They are designed to be modern heirlooms - the kind you invest in and pass down.
Their gemstones are hand-selected and items are made to order in Los Angeles so that each piece is unique.
8. Discovered
Discovered sell a range of ethically sourced jewellery made by artisans around the world. They are an online marketplace allowing you to buy directly from the maker.
This way, you can buy beautiful jewellery at a fair price and skilled artisans have a chance to sell to a global market and improve their livelihood.
Discovered have a section on its website that tells you the story of the people making their jewellery.
9. Clean Origin
Lab diamonds are real diamonds with an ethical origin which makes them a great option for people looking for sustainable jewelry.
A lab diamond is created inside a lab using technology that replicates the natural diamond growing process. The result is a flawless manmade diamond that is visually, chemically and physically the same as those grown beneath the Earth’s surface.
10. Current Boutique
Current Boutique is ideal for people who love popular designer brands but want to be more sustainable. They are a preloved fashion store that stocks designer jewelry brands like Chanel, Dior, Tiffany’s plus many more.
11. Yewo
YEWO, pronounced ‘yay whoa’, creates jewelry in an off-grid, solar-powered workshop in Malawi. Each small batch of bracelets, necklaces and earrings is made from responsibly sourced local materials, like recycled brass.
YEWO responsibly manufactures their jewelry to Fairtrade standards, invests in the local community, and trains and employs makers who were previously living in rural poverty.
12. Bario Neal
Made in the USA to reduce carbon emissions, Bario Neal is a sustainable, woman-owned, American brand that cares about its environmental impact. It uses a mixture of Fairmined gold, recycled gold, and traceable gemstones. Its diamonds are primarily of recycled, Canadian and Australian origin, but they also stock lab-grown options.
Bario Neal offer custom jewelry alongside bridal and fine jewelry.
13. Catbird
If you want wedding jewelry that makes you or a loved one feel like a princess then Catbird is the one. In addition to its sustainable wedding rings that are named after Fairytales and swans, Catbird sells a range of fine jewelry from Fairtrade or recycled gold with conflict-free or recycled stones.
All Catbird jewelry is made in their Brooklyn studio.
14. Sara Patino
Sara Patino designs sustainable jewelry for the modern minimalist. Made in America to reduce carbon emissions, the materials include recycled gold, ethically-sourced gemstones, and responsibly-sourced pearls. Sara Patino’s gemstone suppliers provide her with documentation to prove they have safe working conditions and are free from child labour.
15. Melissa Joy Manning
Sustainable Jewelry designer, Melissa Joy Manning, launched her namesake label to make a positive impact on the world. Each piece is handmade in America (using renewable energy) by skilled artisans using traditional, time-honored techniques and eco-friendly, recycled materials.
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