So how do we make jewelry design more circular?
The good news about jewellery, particularly fine jewellery using silver, gold and platinum, is almost all of the components that go into making it are entirely recyclable, and can be refined and recycled over and over again.
While we are all familiar with the ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ approach to waste management. Circularity compels us to also repair, restore, recover, replace, as well as refuse, reject, and rethink how we manage materials and waste along the product life cycle, as well as in our business practices.
There are 3 main components of a circular economy:
- Eliminate waste and pollution through design
- Keep products and materials in circulation
- Regenerate natural systems
Eliminate waste and pollution through design
Most jewellers have already designed out waste in their daily production by refining their scraps and sweeps (even paper towels used for wiping down the jewelers bench get sent to the refinery), it is important for them to look beyond the jewelry and also pay attention to packaging. Using recycled materials, and materials that can be again recycled or composted.
Keep products and materials in circulation
Extending the usable life of a product is at the heart of a circular economy. This translates to designing items that are easily repairable and educating consumers on how to properly care for their jewelry to ensure they last a long life. It also means taking care of tools and refinishing them when they become dull, as well as re-using packaging materials in our production.
Re-purpose and upcycle jewelry! Upcycling involves finding new, innovative uses for existing items and giving them a new life in this way. Single earrings make great pendants. We love this so much, in fact, that we have incorporated this into our business ethos with our “lost earring promise:
Have a style you just don’t love anymore, or perhaps a piece with great sentimental value that just isn’t your style? Re-purpose is into something you will love! Leanne Burns from Burn and Forge jewellers loves to do remodels and is extremely talented as well.
Recycle or cash out. Either sell or recycle the jewelry sitting unused in your jewelry box. Someone’s trash really is someone else’s treasure. If it is precious metal, it can be sold or refined.
Regenerate natural systems
We believe that in the product-based sector, this equates to acquiring materials and fabricating products that give back to society, while also diminishing the impact on the environment, thus helping natural, socio-economic systems prosper. to support the well-being and welfare of communities through your jewellery business, we have chosen to collaborate with local community projects as well as contributing to conservation projects such as One Tree Planted and Free the Ocean. We hav committed to donating more than 1% of our profits back to the community and earth.
In this day and age of dwindling resources, re-using, repairing, re-purposing and recycling are not only the right things to do, but they can also be very rewarding— especially when it comes to jewellery.
We believe that fine jewelry should be classic, something you want to keep for many years.
We need to teach our customers to care properly for their jewellery so that it truly lasts a lifetime.
There’s the joy of finding and wearing beautiful art that fed a family, educated a child, or supported an artist. Luckily, more and more jewelry companies are doing the work of creating ethical, responsible jewelry. And as long as consumers continue to ask for it, responsible jewelry options will continue to grow.