Maybe like some of us, you too were unaware of unsustainable practices in jewellery production. From the most obvious issue being fast fashion jewellery that is badly made and doesn’t last
and quick turn over of trends to untraceable and often terrible work practices that are hidden through complex supply chains of production. Indigenous populations have been evicted and their right to live freely has been affected due to diamond mining (1) . Financial exploitation of local workers who do not know the value of diamonds by offering items such as “soft drinks or cigarettes” in exchange for illegal mined diamonds (2) . Jewellery making has a long and complex supply chain involving exploration, mining, sorting, cutting, polishing, designing, jewellery creation, inspecting and certifying and then selling. For most luxury brands there is no way of knowing where the precious materials were mined, how the workers were treated, what practices took place and whether they were paid fairly. Another problem with jewellery (and fashion in general) is overconsumption and use of toxic chemicals that harm the environment (3). We buy more than we need (4), we don’t wear all the things we buy and we buy short-lasting items that end up in landfill, irritate our skin or just end up discoloured and damaged quickly.
As a solution to fellow jewellery lovers we have carefully handpicked pre-owned jewellery, independent jewellery brands and positively conscious jewellery. What do we mean by positively conscious? Positively conscious is a label used by a brand we work with – farfetch – to distinguish sustainable items by assessing them against independently backed criteria. The criteria uses the expertise of leading sustainable organisations (such as Good on You) to label their items as positively conscious. If you want to learn more about positive conscious click here.
Below is our selection of unisex, men’s and women’s watches, rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings. The top three items in each category are generally considered to be women’s and bottom three men’s, however we believe you style yourself as you please.