Sustainability

Fairina Cheng ethical jewellery designer

Jewellery that’s kind to the planet

From the materials we use to the way we run the workshop, we are committed to creating beautiful, sustainable jewellery you can feel good about gifting and enjoying.

If you shop thoughtfully and choose treasured jewels over throwaway accessories, you’re in the right place. Here are a few ways we minimise our environmental footprint in the workshop and in the pieces we make.

ONE-OFF OR SMALL BATCH JEWELLERY

Our jewellery is one-of-a-kind or made in small runs (often just a couple of pieces at a time). We don’t have large warehouses of excess stock that becomes landfill at the end of each season. Most of our jewels have a home before they’re even made.

ETHICALLY SOURCED GEMSTONES

We source gemstones primarily from Australian merchants, miners and cutters. These include suppliers of Australian sapphires and diamonds who restore their mining sites after use, recycle wastewater and are powered by renewable energy.

POWERED BY CARBON NEUTRAL ENERGY

The emissions associated with supplying our energy are offset with carbon credits. These credits support projects such as reforestation and renewable energy initiatives, often with additional environmental and social benefits.

RESPONSIBLE METALS

Our metals are from local providers who invest in minimising their environmental impact. Precious metals are recycled from old jewellery and industry, or sourced from Australasian mines. Environmental management plans help minimise the release of harmful substances, including state-of-the-art systems to treat air, remove heavy metals and recycle wastewater.

RECYCLED PACKAGING

We send your jewellery into the world in timber jewellery boxes sourced from sustainable forests, recyclable jewellery boxes and recycled paper packaging. Any protective padding is either recycled or paper-based. We’re always looking for ways to do better. Please help by reusing your packaging where possible and recycling it when it reaches the end of its life.

PRE-LOVED MATERIALS

Ever wondered what to do with grandma’s old rings that aren’t quite your style? Creating new pieces from heirlooms is a great way to turn your treasures (and their stories) into beautiful, environmentally friendly jewellery. In the workshop, platinum, gold and silver never go to waste. They are refined or made into jewellery, so no new metals need to be mined.

Ethical gemstones for handmade jewellery

Sustainably made jewellery with tales to tell. Read some of our favourites here.

Sapphires and stories

Eco friendly Australian sapphire star set ring in recycled gold

“Off the shelf” was never something that Lloyd imagined for Jo. He wanted a ring with a story, and having it ethically made was a priority. He chose this 1.91ct sapphire, mined in Inverell and cut on the Gold Coast. The band was made from recycled gold, donated by his future father-in-law, who deals in antique jewellery. Lab created diamonds were star-set on each side, inspired by a vintage ring that Jo once saw and loved. Each detail was carefully considered over several months and all the hard work paid off. Jo loved her ring. And most importantly, she said yes!

Engagement ring 2.0

Sustainable engagement ring in ethical gold and Australian sapphire

It’s a great feeling to create pieces that are almost wholly made from pre-loved gems and gold. When Emma’s old engagement ring broke, she decided to make a completely new one from its parts. We used a diamond and the gold from her engagement ring, mixed it with additional gold from her mum’s heirloom pieces and added an ethically mined rough sapphire from Queensland to create this rustic beauty. Emma was smitten from the moment she saw it, calling it “sustainable, meaningful and such a delight”!

An antique beauty

Eco friendly antique platinum and gold wedding and engagement ring set

Sustainability is important to Liz, so she chose a vintage engagement ring, meaning that no new metal or gems were mined to create it. To match, we made a wedding band in recycled gold and fresh platinum from a Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) certified supplier. The RJC independently audits companies against rigorous human rights, labour rights, supply chain and environmental standards. The diamonds are reclaimed from antique rings to match the stones in Liz’s engagement ring. Otherwise known as “old cut” diamonds, they are the perfect companion to vintage jewels.

How to design jewellery that's kind to the planet

The planet has been kind to us. And it’s about time to start giving back. But this doesn’t mean you need to ditch the luxuries and start growing your own kale. There are simple ways to decrease your environmental footprint and it comes down to the decisions you make around purchases, including significant ones like jewellery.

Read more

There’s always more that can be done, so we’re just getting started! We’d love to hear from you with suggestions on creating a more eco-friendly business, or chat about making you a special piece of jewellery with sustainability at its heart.

Start the conversation

We love creating jewellery that aligns with your values around sustainability, individuality and love. Send a message here or book a call.

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