If you’re someone who is mindful of your environmental impact, you’re sure to have picked
out your wedding suppliers with this in mind. Especially considering that one wedding can
produce as much as 20kg of plastic waste, it’s crucial to be mindful of the sustainability of
your big day. Often the first things that couples look to find sustainable options for are the
dresses, suits, catering and decorations, but have you considered the impact of your
wedding jewelry?
From your engagement and wedding bands to any necklaces and bracelets you wear on the
day, the jewelry that you choose can have a significant impact on the environmental impact
of your wedding. In this article, we look at how you can ensure that you choose the most
sustainable and eco-friendly jewelry possible for your big day.
Lab-grown diamonds
If you’re looking for diamond-encrusted jewelry, opting for lab-grown stones is a surefire way
to eliminate any worries about its history and sustainability. Without the need for
mechanically intensive mining processes, the amount of resources used in order to create
your diamond will be significantly lower. Instead, they replicate the natural process of
forming a diamond in a lab, using high pressures and temperatures to compress carbon until
it forms these beloved stones. What’s more, due to the nature of the lab-grown process,
there are fewer worries about unfair labor practices.
Conflict-free stones
If your stone isn’t lab-grown, then it’s important to find out the history behind it before you fall
in love. Many mining corporations operate unlawful practices, paying their staff pitiful wages
in return for long hours of intensive manual labor. This is incredibly unethical, and something
you definitely wouldn’t want to be reminded of when you look at your jewelry.
To maximize the sustainability of a naturally formed stone, you should ask about where and
how it was mined. Smaller artisanal mines typically use more basic equipment, reducing the
resources used in order to obtain the stones significantly. They also pay their staff fair
wages, so by purchasing one of these stones, you can rest assured that it’s conflict-free.
Recycled or reclaimed materials
The precious stones and metals used in most jewelry come from finite resources, and the
continued manufacturing of them can strip our planet of its natural reserves. Considering
this, opting for jewelry made from recycled metals can be extremely beneficial. By helping to
reduce the manufacturing of these metals, you can enjoy the same shiny finish without the
increased carbon footprint.
Similarly, reclaimed stones are a great option when it comes to sustainability. Without
requiring any additional manufacturing, these stones can easily be repurposed to create your
dream jewelry with some simple tools. You could even opt to repurpose a heirloom stone for
added sentimentality.
Having sustainable wedding jewelry doesn’t mean that you have to compromise. The same
styles and luxurious touches can still be present, but you can rest assured that the methods
used to create your jewelry didn’t cause harm to workers or the environment.