While discourse about sustainable fashion usually focuses on textiles containing recycled materials and organic cotton, there are many sustainable jewelry brands leading the movement towards better environmental and fair labor practices.
Since jewelry functions as staple pieces that last decades, it is only fitting that our lifelong relationship with jewels should form around pieces that support sustainability. To create a truly conscious wardrobe, you should consider the impact of all your pieces, from that large, puffy overcoat to the tiny ring on your finger.
To guide you on making the best selections, this article highlights sustainable jewelry brands that practice ethical standards, such as using upcycled materials, conflict-free gems, providing income for impoverished and indigenous artists, and preserving cultural techniques.
Sustainable Jewelry Brands
Washed Ashore
Average price range: $150 – $600
Since its founding, Washed Ashore maintains strong values about protecting the ocean and natural resources, which serves as the main inspiration for its jewelry. The brand uses 100% recycled materials and upcycles every gem and stone, including abalone shells and natural Keshi pearls that are byproducts from the food and pearl industry.
Washed Ashore has also partnered with Carbon Fund to offset the negative environmental impact of shipping, traveling, and transportation and offers fully recyclable packaging.
Zoe Chicco
Average price range: $200 – $700
Made in Los Angeles, Zoe Chicco creates delicate and classy jewelry items that have won loyal celebrity clients. Aided by major success, Zoe Chicco is able to ensure fair wages and ethical conditions to artisans who work all in-house at her LA studio.
All diamonds are conflict-free and compliant under the Kimberley Process, and all gemstones are sourced from reputable sources. Be sure to check out pieces with 14kt recycled gold.
Poppy Finch
Average price range: $350 – $800
Handcrafted in Vancouver, Canada, woman-owned Poppy Finch creates sustainable jewelry for everyday wear with luxurious jeweled details. The brand maintains a transparent code of conduct. Items are made to order, which avoids excessive waste.
Items last longer by only using solid 14kt and 18kt gold, and all gold is at least 75% SCS-certified recycled. The brand only sources diamonds that are compliant with the Kimberley Process and of the highest quality (VS1 clarity and G+ color).
Thirty One Bits
Average price range: $25 – $50
Thirty One Bits provides dignified employment for women in Uganda to escape poverty by making jewelry.
The company follows ethical sourcing through fair wages, unlimited leave for artisans, and preserving culture through jewelry made with traditional techniques of metalworking.
Ten Thousand Villages
Average price range: $10 – $90
Ten Thousand Villages is a global maker-to-market brand that creates opportunities for artisans in developing countries to sell their products and earn an income.
The buying relationship with artisans is on average 25 years and is ethical by agreeing upon a price, working with minorities, preserving traditional craft and culture, and offering natural handcrafted products. In addition to accessories, you can browse beautiful home and outdoor goods.
Omi Woods
Average price range: $200 – $1500
Omi Woods was created in honor of the female founder’s African heritage. The brand makes solid gold sustainable jewelry that is sourced from fair-trade African gold and conflict-free fine metals.
The inspiration behind Omi Woods jewelry is to serve as a contemporary heirloom that can be gifted, worn everyday, and passed down for generations.
Stefano Navi
Average price range: $500 – $1300
Stefano Navi provides 100% lab-grown diamond jewelry. As a customer, you can create custom jewelry or choose from a base setting.
All lab-grown diamonds are certified by the widely-trusted International Gemological Institute (IGI). Lab-grown diamonds are responsible because the environmental and social consequences of mining diamonds are eliminated, while the diamond’s quality and durability remains.
Penh Lenh
Average price range: $35 – $199
A sustainable jewelry brand made for women by women, Penh Lenh offers unique, handcrafted pieces that are ethically sourced and made responsibly.
Each piece is created by female artisans in Cambodia, where Penh Lenh practices fair employment and career opportunities for women. Their range of jewelry includes earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and even phone charms!
Kimai
Average price range: $400 – $1200
Kimai was manifested by two Belgian female co-founders, who stick to their heritage with all diamond jewelry being handmade in the diamond capital of the world, Antwerp.
In addition, the brand follows sustainable practices by growing diamonds in the lab and using 100% recycled gold.
4Kinship
Average price range: $50 – $300
The company 4Kinship supports indigenous artists by providing a market to sell their goods. Sustainable design processes are followed. For example, products are handmade and materials have been restored and repurposed.
When jewelry is displayed for sale, 4Kinship credits the specific Indigenous artist in the description. Furthermore, the company invests in numerous projects to help indigenous communities.
Vestiaire Collective
Average price range: Varies by brand
Vestiaire Collective is a marketplace to buy, share, and sell pre-owned luxury and designer fashion, which reduces waste and increases the lifespan of items.
This is a great marketplace to purchase designer jewelry without having to consume new materials.
Switch
Price: $40–$90 per month
Similar to the previous brand, Switch is a great way to reduce waste. This is a rental service for designer jewelry.
For $40–$90 per month, you’re able to rent 1–4 items from their mesmerizing collection.
Miadonna
Average price range: $450 – $3200
Miadonna is a sustainable ring company founded by a mother whose backstory explains her mission to end oppression in the diamond mining industry.
Miadonna has numerous sustainable initiatives, including only offering lab-grown and conflict-free diamonds and gemstones, recycled gold and diamond, offsetting carbon emissions by planting one tree through One Tree Planted for each order, and giving at least 5% of profits to projects that repair and rebuild communities affected by the diamond-mining industry.
Nisolo
Average price: $30
Nisolo is a certified B-Corporation offering ethical and affordable shoes and jewelry.
The company pays 100% living wages to producers in Peru, Mexico, and Kenya and partnered with Ecosphere+ to invest in forest conservation in the Cordillera Azul of the Peruvian Amazon. Jewelry maintains affordability by selling directly to the consumer and is often handmade and uses upcycled materials.
Laura Lombardi
Average price range: $150 – $300
Inspired by making jewelry out of found objects as a kid, Laura Lombardi founded her brand that continuously draws on this resourcefulness and only uses up-cycled and recycled materials in the brand’s jewelry.
Jewelry is made in New York and New England by small, locally-owned businesses and handmade whenever possible. Plating is done in New York City at a zero waste closed filtration studio.
ABLE
Average price: $50
ABLE is an ethical lifestyle brand that offers bags, clothes, shoes, and jewelry. The brand’s mission is to employ and empower women by providing opportunities out of poverty.
ABLE ensures transparency by using the social impact reporting tool, ACCOUNTABLE, to show that the brand truly pays living wages to workers. All jewelry is handmade in-house in Nashville, scrap metal is collected and refined, recycled materials are used when possible, and sourcing is only from US-based ethical vendors.
Astor and Orion
Average price range: $50 – $120
Astor and Orion aim to combine beauty and justice through offering ethical jewelry. As such, jewelry is designed from the beginning to use materials that are recycled and easily recyclable and have low toxicity.
The jewelry is made in only one factory with ISO and SEDEX certifications to ensure a quality and safe working environment.
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