15 Sustainable & Ethically-Made Jewelry Brands
For centuries, jewelry has been a form of personal adornment that stands apart from the other types of beautification. Self-expression through jewelry isn’t like clothing, which we wear for practical reasons, or makeup, which is increasingly forced upon us through patriarchal, white supremacist norms. While jewelry can be trendy or appropriative, it is an elective form of adornment unto itself; it does very little besides make us feel like our most authentic selves. Jewelry further allows us to commemorate special moments and relationships. It serves as a symbol of cultural identity, reflecting historic and artistic traditions, and can (and should) be passed down from generation to generation. But it can be hard to find affordable sustainable jewelry designers when the jewelry industry has a dark history of unethical and unsustainable practices.
Many of the precious metals and gems that are used to make jewelry are mined in areas with negligent labor laws and environmental regulations. The materials needed for the greater part of the jewelry industry are extracted and refined at the expense of miners who are forced to work in hazardous conditions. The sourcing of these materials destroys entire ecosystems as a result of the toxic chemicals released during the process.
Despite the disappointing state of the jewelry industry, we do live in a world where sustainable baddies are doing the work to normalize ethically-made jewelry. Whether you love gold, silver, pearls, or kandi, you’re sure to find your next future heirloom on this non-exhaustive list of susty jewelry designers we’re loving right now!
1. Keane
Founded in 2017 by Colin Keane Lynch, Keane aims to spread the beauty of handmade glasswork as wearable art. Their pieces are made-to-order and handcrafted by artisans in their NYC studio and by other small jewelers based in NYC.
After years of collecting vintage pieces for their personal collection, Chloe Weitman decided to found L.A.-based Yeah It’s Jewelry. Chloe travels throughout the U.S. to source unique secondhand and antique pieces for the shop.
Founded by Kate Sullivan, The Sage Vintage is a curated vintage jewelry shop that also specializes in patchwork pieces. Their designs are stacked with vintage charms to create one-of-a-kind maximalist dreams.
4. Brite Things
Founded by Vanessa Nikcole Pérez, Brite Things is a woman-owned jewelry brand based in New York. Their pieces are handmade-to-order by Pérez herself. Their designs are classical-meets-futuristic, pairing funky shapes with delicate touches like ribbon or bead strings.
Serendipitous Project is a Black-owned New York-based slow fashion brand that focuses on creating made-to-order demi-fine jewelry. Founder Sydney Ziems draws inspiration from nature and their tropical ancestral home and uses natural materials like pearls, stones, sea glass, and shells to create their pieces.
RIVA New York is a New York-based family-owned business that creates beautiful jewelry that is also ethical, responsible, and attainable. The brand designs jewelry with simplicity and versatility in mind to encourage buying jewelry that will always be part of your ever-changing personal style.
7. Haati Chai
Founded in 2011 by Stella Simona, this East-Indian-owned jewelry brand is inspired by a woman’s beauty and incorporates both Eastern and Western elements in their designs. Born out of a grandmother and granddaughter’s shared love for their heritage, their pieces are meant to be passed down for generations.
Founded by Melbourne-based jeweler Hollie Blossom, Holliegraphic specializes in creating one-of-a-kind designs using lost wax casting, an ancient process where precious metals are made into a distinctive design from an original handmade wax mold. They use recycled metals with responsibly-sourced precious gemstones in their designs.
10. Sjo Jewelry
Handmade in L.A. by founder Savannah Sjostrom, Sjo Jewelry creates playful, vibrant, and whimsical pieces. Sjostrom's designs reflect the creativity she was encouraged to explore growing up on a ranch just outside the city.
11. Mahnal
Shayba Muhammad founded Mahnal in 2018 in their hometown of St. Louis. Mahnal is a Black-woman-owned collection of contemporary brass jewelry. The artisanal nature of their jewelry embraces living a slower, more intentional lifestyle and sheds light on the beauty of Islam and the Arabic language.
12. Elysian Theory
Elysian Theory is a woman-owned made-to-order jewelry brand that makes pieces using cellulose acetate, a plant-based bioplastic made from cotton and wood pulp fibers, making the material biodegradable! Their pieces are designed and handmade in Annapolis, Maryland.
13. Yam
Founded by jewelry designer Morgan Thomas, Yam is a made-to-order, handmade jewelry brand based in Queens, NY. Yam creates reimagined nostalgic pieces using deadstock materials and incorporates classic hardware elements, nature motifs, and pearl accents.
14. Beads by Jules
Founded by Julia Watt, Beads by Jules makes “one-of-a-few” (i.e. small batch and custom-made) designs to create jewelry that feels personal and is unique to each wearer. Watt makes sure to source quality and secondhand materials whenever possible to maintain sustainability and individuality.
15. Lisa Says Gah
After a decade in the fashion industry, Lisa Bühler founded Lisa Says Gah in 2014 to create a space where independent designers and their communities could thrive. Lisa Says Gah stocks both jewelry designed in-house made from deadstock materials as well as jewelry by other small sustainable designers.
What susty jewelry brands are you loving?