Jewelry may seem timeless, but the metals and gemstones behind it often come with a heavy environmental and ethical cost. Mining gold, silver, and diamonds can cause deforestation, pollution, and unsafe working conditions. In this guide, you’ll learn how to identify sustainable jewelry options — from recycled metals and Fairmined gold to lab-grown stones and ethical sourcing certifications.
*This article is in progress.
What to look for in sustainable & ethical jewelry
Look for jewelry with the Butterfly Mark, a third-party certification earned by luxury brands that demonstrate exceptional commitment to sustainability across environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria.
- Monica Vinader is a Butterfly Mark certified jewelry brand, with over 500 pieces sold at Nordstrom.
Some places to find eco-friendly jewelry include:
- Etsy
- Novica has handmade men’s and women’s jewelry from all over the world.
- I really love 4Ocean‘s mission of cleaning plastic from the ocean, some of which is used to make their hallmark bracelets, which come in all kinds of fun colors and designs.
- For more ideas check out these lists from Oprah, Sustainable Jungle, and Sustainable Chic.
Fine jewelry
Mining for precious metals and gemstones, particularly gold and diamonds, is associated with serious environmental and social tolls.
To minimize these impacts, seek
- Secondhand or vintage jewelry – try Vestiaire
- Pieces made from recycled metals
- Third-party certifications, such as Fairtrade or Fairmined gold and silver, Kimberly Process (KP) or Canada Mark diamonds, Responsible Jewelry Council, and Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA).
- Lab-grown stones
Some ethical jewelry brands include:
Can you recycle jewelry?
Precious metals can be melted down and remade into new pieces.
Cufflinks
Check out these repurposed cuff links on Etsy, or these ones made from old wine bottles and beer cans. Some of these Cufflinks Depot are made from some pretty cool memorabilia. For handmade cufflinks, explore these cufflink options from Novica.
What to do with unwanted cufflinks
Give away or donate. Nicer quality cufflinks could be sold to a jeweler. If they are in poor condition, those made of metal can be recycled.
Watches
Victorinox watches are made with high quality, hypoallergenic, and REACH compliant (non-toxic) steel and titanium. Sustainability, including responsible sourcing, recycling materials, and ethical business practices are core company values.
For more sustainable watch brands, check out these lists from Sustainable Jungle and Sustainably Chic.
What to do with old watches
Sell, or donate to Veterans Watchmaker Initiative, an organization that trains disabled veterans in watchmaking.
Watch recycling
Send your old watches to We Recycle Old Watches. They refurbish watches when possible, or take them apart and recycle the separate parts or upcycle them. Recycle smart watches at Best Buy or other places that take e-waste.
