Rings and Earrings For Best Sustainable Jewelry Brands
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10 Sustainable Jewelry Brands To Help Complete Your Look

Rings and Earrings For Best Sustainable Jewelry Brands

Sustainable fashion extends far beyond just clothes. If you know me, you know I do my best to shop sustainable brands and products as often as possible. Although I’m not perfect (no one is) it’s definitely something I’m passionate about!

But I recently realized that, other than my thrift pieces, I had no sustainable jewelry items in my closet. That’s what inspired me to do some research and let you all in on 10 sustainable jewelry brands you need in your wardrobe.

I love all of these brands because not only do they practice sustainability in a variety of ways, but they have the best jewelry on the market! Whether you’re looking for dainty gold jewelry or bold statement pieces, these brands are all unique in their own ways so you’re sure to find the perfect item for you.

I’m so excited to show you these amazing sustainable jewelry brands so let’s dive into it.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my site and read more about my disclosure policies here.

What Is Sustainable Jewelry? 

Sustainable jewelry is pieces made from brands that put the planet and its people first. This means ensuring fair ethical practices all throughout their business models while leaving the plant and its people in a better place.

The whole point of sustainable anything, not just jewelry, is to produce selective amounts of high-quality products that are made ethically, produced from earth-friendly materials, and that has a longer lifespan than fast fashion products.

What’s important to know is that there any many brands out there that identify as sustainable but they aren’t utilizing all necessary ethical practices in order to be 100% sustainable. And that’s okay. Here’s why.

Throughout the many years of fast fashion, we have dug an extremely deep hole in terms of toxic materials, unfair production chains, mistreatment of workers’ rights, and general harm to the planet. New and existing brands are trying to dig out of that hole. It’s not easy. And it’s not cheap.

Therefore, in my opinion, what matters the most is that brands are trying. Are they trying to be better and do better? Great. Are they setting goals for the future and are implementing sustainable practices that are feasible for them given the current climate? Awesome.

Please note that I’m not talking about brands that “greenwash“. Greenwashing is when brands will mislead their consumers to believe they are doing more to protect the earth and its people than they actually are. That’s not cool. I only suggest and support brands that have proven their efforts and are transparent with their practices. That means the good, the bad, and the ugly.

If you’re looking for a reliable website to view your favorite brands and their sustainability practices, you should definitely check out Good On You.

Now let’s get into these sustainable jewelry brands.

Monica Vinader

Monica Vinader is a luxury jewelry brand founded in the UK in 2008. This beautiful jewelry brand has been seen on various celebrities including Emma Watson, Olivia Palermo, and the Duchess of Cambridge herself, Kate Middleton. To say they are anything less than iconic would be an understatement.

Monica Vinader’s ability to intertwine fashion and fine jewelry is like no other. They are known for their friendship bracelets, among many other products that allow for versatile, contemporary items that anyone can wear.

Sustainability Efforts

Monica Vinader aims to empower women and operate with integrity, from all aspects of their supply chain. In 2019, 100% of their supply chain was certified by the Responsible Jewelry Council, which really goes to show the massive steps they’ve taken to change their supply chain process.

Not only is their production process ethical, but the products are as well. They only use 100% recycled silver throughout their sterling silver and gold vermeil jewelry which is absolutely incredible.

Monica Vinader recognizes that they cannot reduce emissions everywhere. That’s the name of the game no matter what you’re producing. That’s why they redesigned their packaging to be both recyclable and eco-friendly. As of November 2020, all of their shipments, both purchases and returns, are carbon neutral.

But they don’t stop there! This amazing brand has vowed to say “peace out” to single-use plastic in 2021. They will only be using 100% recycled, recyclable, or compostable plastic. All I can say is wow, Monica Vinader is absolutely killing it.

Other Cool Things

Monica Vinader ships to the USA for free! So cool. They also offer complimentary personalization options on a majority of their jewelry and a 5-year, no-questions-asked warranty.

Shop My Favorite Monica Vinader Pieces

Aurate

Aurate believes in setting the standard for delivering fine jewelry. They value high standards and you can truly see the effort and quality they put into their products. Aurate is dedicated to providing durable products that can be worn every day, at a modest price.

Founded in New York City, Aurate creates every piece of their jewelry with originality and individuality in mind. Their products are modeled after New York City’s infamous aura, with inspiration from architectures such as the Brooklyn Bridge and even simplistic everyday objects, like doorknobs.

Sustainability Efforts

Aurate designs their products directly in New York City with a majority of their pieces made in the city as well. Because their goal is to bring the highest quality craftsmanship to their customers, they source all around the world to find high-quality materials to bring directly to you.

If you don’t know, the diamond industry is incredibly toxic and causes distress to the environment and its people. Aurate is looking to change that by tracking every diamond or gem from the mine to the workshop and adhering to the Kimberley Process.

They also focus on safe working conditions, fair pay, and most importantly, respect for indigenous communities. Well done, Aurate. You’re doing a wonderful job and we appreciate you.

Other Cool Things

Aurate jewelry ships for free to anywhere in the USA and if you’re in school, they offer a 15% student discount.

Shop My Favorite Aurate Pieces

Vrai

If you’re looking for a gorgeous, sustainable engagement ring then Vrai is the place for you. I’m seriously blown away from these rings. Vrai focuses on producing fine jewelry and engagement rings that are focused around the diamond. They sell timeless designs made out of high-quality materials all while focusing on the most sustainable practices possible.

Although they specialize in engagement rings, they have a ton of beautiful non-engagement ring jewelry! So even you’re single as a pringle like me and you want to treat yourself to some beautiful jewelry, Vrai has some beautiful pieces for you.

Sustainability Efforts

As I mentioned above, the diamond industry is one of the most harmful industries to the earth. Vrai believes in being as transparent as possible about their diamond making process and pricing.

Vrai has teamed up with Diamond Foundry, which is a foundry that is known for sustainable, lab-grown diamonds. Their values surround zero diamond mining, leaving no carbon footprint, and eliminating all cartel pricing. Fun fact, Leonardo Dicaprio is a proud investor of this company! Love that. Love him (call me, Leo).

Vrai’s diamonds are grown in the Pacific West. They are created with the highest quality craftsmanship in mind while being cut and polished to match industry standards and beyond.

Vrai has cut out the middle man while creating their diamonds which means there are no additional markups on their products. This is something many sustainable companies, both jewelry and others, are trying to do in order to 1. save money and 2. pass those savings along to their customers.

Other Cool Things

All of Vrai’s diamonds are backed by a lifetime warranty and if you’re looking to be engaged soon, you have the option to custom design your engagement ring!

Shop My Favorite Vrai Pieces

Astley Clarke

Founded in the UK in 2007, Astley Clarke has been creating luxurious fine and demi-fine jewelry for years that are made to be incorporated into any outfit, on any desired day. We all know what fine jewelry is but let’s talk about demi-fine jewelry real quick.

Astley Clarke’s demi-fine jewelry is created from beautiful, contemporary designs that are made from gold plated silver and semi-precious gems all offered at a modest price point. This allows their customers to access jewelry at an accessible price point without sacrificing design and quality.

I should also add that Astley Claire has been seen on countless celebrities including Lupita Nyong’o, Cameron Diaz, and Cara Delevigne!

Sustainability Efforts

I couldn’t locate a ton of information on Astley Clarke’s sustainability efforts but I did find some general statements on the ethical practices they implement throughout their company.

Astley Clarke is dedicated to setting the standard as a responsible brand throughout the jewelry industry. They use materials from sustainable sources, value their workers, and are sure to pay them a fair wage, along with utilizing FSC certified packaging.

They value the well-being of the environment which I appreciate (climate change is real!) so although I can’t find specific details about their impactful actions, they definitely seem to be making great strides in the best direction to maintaining an ethical and sustainable jewelry brand. You go, Astley Clarke!

Other Cool Things

Astley Clarke offers free customized engraving services for select jewelry along with personal consultations with their design and personal shopping teams.

Shop My Favorite Astley Clarke Pieces

Catbird

I’m a sucker for NYC-based companies. Catbird was founded in 2004 in Brooklyn, NY. Catbird’s mission to make beautiful, special jewelry that you can wear all day every day. Catbird offers countless jewelry pieces that are minimalistic and stunning. I seriously wish I could own every piece. They are an expert in stacked rings and are well known amongst celebrities like Liv Tyler and Lorde.

I have to say, Catbird may be one of my favorite sustainable jewelry brands on this list because not only is their jewelry absolutely incredible, but the prices are so accessible for the quality. It’s so easy for sustainable brands to mark up their prices because running an ethical company can be costly! But Catbird does a great job of keeping their prices accessible and quality high.

Sustainability Efforts

Catbird produces all of their jewelry directly in their Brooklyn studio which is something we don’t see often in the jewelry industry. Catbird is sure to analyze every decision they make throughout their company to ensure that every move aligns with their standards. Plus, they pride themselves in their honesty which again, is something we do not see often.

Catbird is woman-owned and operated. They provide their employees with safe and clean working conditions along with providing them with benefits such as health insurance and a retirement plan. Love that tbh. Check out their remarkable studio here!

The diamonds Catbird uses are responsibly sourced and are either recycled or lab-created, which we’ve established above is one of the most ethical ways to create diamonds. Catbird is also a member of No Dirty Gold which is a global campaign that is aiming to ensure gold mining operations are ethical while protecting the environment and its people.

Other Cool Things

One thing that’s really cool about Catbird is that if you own one of their iconic Forever Catbird Bracelets and you visit their studio in NYC, they will weld your bracelet together so it’ll be on you forever. Kidding, you can take it off with scissors if needed and they can weld it back together if you want. How cool is that?

Shop My Favorite Catbird Pieces

Able

Able is a fashion brand whose mission is to employ and empower women. Although they sell a ton of beautiful jewelry, they also sell other fashion items as well. Their business actually started with making hand-woven scarves and they slowly transitioned to leather bags, clothes, shoes, and of course jewelry!

Able believes in transparency which we see throughout their brand model as a whole. They are dedicated to changing the culture of the fashion industry by creating opportunities for women. As someone who works in the fashion industry, I can strongly say that it can be extremely tough so I’m happy to know Able is doing what it can to help women and create opportunities.

Sustainability Efforts

Able’s priority throughout their sustainable efforts is to harbor fair workers’ rights and wages throughout their business. But they don’t just talk the talk, they walk the walk by publishing their wages. Yup, you read that right. In 2018, Able became the first fashion brand to openly publish their lowest wages in order to ensure they are doing what they need to do in order to end poverty throughout the fashion industry. I think that this is truly amazing and more companies should be doing this.

On top of what I mentioned above, Able also uses recycled mailers and they repurpose shipping boxes by turning them into storage at their headquarters. Their goal for 2021 is to eliminate shipping in poly bags to cloth dust bags.

All of Able’s jewelry is handmade right in Tenessee. They only use natural solutions throughout their production process and even send off all their scrap metal to be melted down and made into new pieces of wire. Also, a majority of their sterling silver is recycled and is sourced from USA vendors who Able makes sure are up to date with their ethical standards.

Although I’m strictly speaking about jewelry for this article, I suggest you read more about Able’s sustainability efforts throughout their other product categories here.

Other Cool Things

The women of Able run The She Is ABLE Podcast where they celebrate women and their stories. You can also get free shipping and some other cool perks if you join their rewards program!

Shop My Favorite Able Pieces

Pandora

We all know Pandora! Remember the charm bracelets you had back in middle school where each charm represented something you love or a part of your personality? Cute. A little corny now, but cute. I loved mine and actually still have it.

Pandora has been in the jewelry game for some time now and is focused on providing distinctive products to people all around the world. Pandora’s business model is centered on bringing accessible luxury jewelry products to the fine jewelry market by offering high quality, modern products that can be worn for years to come without breaking the bank.

Sustainability Efforts

Now I know what you’re thinking. Is Pandora an ethical company? Yup! Pandora puts the planet and its people first when creating their jewelry. They have high standards they uphold in their business which is seen throughout all the efforts they make to be better every day.

Pandora has adopted a circular business model which means they create jewelry with a long lifespan that will maintain its quality all while offering recyclable products that help reduce their environmental footprint. By 2025, all of Pandora’s gold and silver jewelry will be produced from recycled sources. In 2019 they reported they are 71% there, so they are doing a great job so far.

By the end of 2020, Pandora wanted to source 100% renewable energy at their facilities. I’m not sure if they were able to make this happen because it hasn’t been updated but I’m sure they did! They are also aiming to be carbon neutral by 2025 and in 2019, they recycled 88% of the waste at their crafting facilities. I love when companies set realistic goals for themselves and when they don’t sugarcoat the process. Becoming a sustainable and ethical company is not easy, quick, or cheap. So I appreciate the transparency of the process.

Pandora is also committed to an inclusive work environment throughout its supply chain by creating a safe work environment for all 28,000 of its employees! Awesome job, Pandora.

Other Cool Things

Pandora has free shipping over $55 and they also always have collections with popular brands. As I’m writing this, they have a Harry Potter collection for any of your HP fans out there.

Shop My Favorite Pandora Pieces

Starfish Project

Starfish Project was founded in 2006 and has been making a huge difference ever since. This brand was founded by a group of friends who decided to be proactive and take action when they saw the exploitation of women throughout their city in Asia.

Starfish Project is focused on freedom and giving women back their independence and the opportunity to have a career that will change their lives. Plus, their jewelry is super cute! If you’re looking to buy some jewelry that makes a difference in the lives of others, then Starfish Project is perfect for you.

Sustainability Efforts

100% of every purchase from Starfish Project goes towards their mission to change the lives of trafficked and exploited women in order to provide them with healthcare, counseling, and safe, secure housing.

Those who make up Starfish Project are women of various backgrounds and educational levels all with unique stories to tell. In 2011, they actually created the only safe house and training facility in Asia that was made for women are seeking to escape exploitation. This company really values women and ensures they create the most beautiful, valuable lives for themselves while giving them the tools and support to be the best they can be.

If that’s not enough reason to shop Starfish Project, you should know that all of their jewelry products are fair trade. They also use ionic plating for their jewelry which is long-lasting and better for the environment. Overall, it’s a win-win. Starfish Project, thank you for all that you’re doing.

Other Cool Things

You can read all about the women who run Starfish Project and their unique, inspiring stories here.

Also, if we’re talking strictly business, they offer free shipping for order of $75 or more. Grab yourself and your friend a piece of jewelry or two and support this amazing company.

J. Hannah

 
 
 
 
 
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J. Hannah is a fine jewelry brand that sells timeless pieces that are made to last. Their jewelry is meant to be lived in, in order to sustain life all while exuding clean, modern details.

J. Hannah is also a nail polish brand, in which they create jewelry hand in hand. The idea of high quality, long-lasting items resonates throughout their entire business. They’re a company who “challenges capitalism’s hustle-obsessed narrative” by creating their own personal rules for sustainability, quality, and overall transparency surrounding their values. I seriously could not be more obsessed with this company.

Sustainability Efforts

J. Hannah prioritizes sustainability throughout their entire business. They believe that their customers deserve transparency. Once they accomplish one goal, J. Hannah then asks “what’s next?” which proves they strive to constantly be better and do better.

J. Hannah practices sustainability by keeping all of their production local in Los Angeles along with limiting the waste that is produced throughout their business which is so important when improving your environmental footprint.

As I mentioned, J. Hannah believes in transparency and is 110% honest throughout all of their products and how they were produced. All of J. Hannah’s diamonds are 100% recycled, or ethically sourced and cut. They also ensure all of their workers, and the workers of their manufacturers, are paid fairly and work in safe conditions.

All water that is used throughout their refining process is reused, along with any trace metals being recycled. Among many other things, you can see that this brand really cares and is constantly striving to do its best for the planet and its people.

Other Cool Things

You can personalize your J. Hannah jewelry here and check out their infamous nail polish here!

Tada & Toy

 
 
 
 
 
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Based in London, Tada & Toy was founded by two best friends and sells gorgeous demi-fine jewelry. Tada & Toy combines the beauty of Indian embellishments and Swedish Scandinavian styles that are designed for everyday wear. Their pieces have been worn by celebrities such as Emma Watson and Maisie Williams.

Tada & Toy places quality and detail at the forefront of all they do. They ensure every product is tested rigorously before making it into the hands of their customers. And on top of that, they are of course on this list because they value ethical sourcing and sustainable practices throughout their business.

Sustainability Efforts

Tada & Toy ethically source their products and ensures that they are working with suppliers who align with their values and ethics. All of their pieces are produced by artisan workshops in India where they focus on responsibly manufacturing and sourcing all of their designs.

Tada & Toy actively participates in wildlife conservation by donating 5% of all profits and 25% of all charity collection sales. They work with the Aspinall Foundation which aids in protecting endangered species through conserving wildlife and their habitats. They have helped countless endangered animals be reintroduced into their natural habitats, which is truly incredible.

Other Cool Things

If you’re in the UK, Tada & Toy has free next-day delivery. They also have a bunch of cute collections you can check out, with my favorite being the Queen of Hearts collection.

Let’s Wrap It Up

This is one of my favorite articles I’ve ever written! I’m so excited to have been able to share these amazing sustainable jewelry brands with you. I hope you can shop them and find some jewelry to add to your collection.

Leave a comment below to let me know your thoughts and shoutout to all of these brands for being AHHHMAZING!

With love or whatever,
Hailey

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