What makes jewelry sustainable?

The jewelry industry is known as a troubled one. Corruption, unethical practices and bad working conditions are unfortunately everyday’s business. But this doesn’t mean that it’s all doom and gloom. Now that sustainability has reached a broader audience in the world as a whole, the jewelry industry also benefits and sustainable jewelry brands pop up everywhere. But what is it that makes jewelry sustainable?

Sustainable jewelry as a trend

Many firms and brands have noticed the added value of getting involved in sustainability and responsible choices. Being ‘sustainable’ has become a trend, but without clear guidelines as to what actually is a sustainable jewelry brand, there are almost as many standards as there are brands. While of course every little step towards sustainability is one in the right direction, it is important to remain critical. Now that sustainability is hip, can you still believe the claims brands are making about what they do in terms of sustainability? Do they really want a better world, or do they just want your attention?

Dimensions of sustainable jewelry

Of course, being involved in sustainable jewelry is in the very first place about production factors, such as the mining, working conditions and environmental impact. However, we are aware that in a changing and developing world, decisions we make today might not apply to future challenges. Therefore, clarity and openness are in our view two of the most important aspects of sustainable jewelry. By leading you through our complete production process, from where we mined (or reused!) every single gemstone up to our finished sustainable bracelets, we hope to convey how we see sustainability. We want you to know what we stand for and why, so you can follow your own heart in your choice for sustainable jewelry.

What do we do?

MAQÉ is about making conscious choices. We believe in responsible mining and ethical sourcing, and the openness of our process allows you to trace back every step of your sustainable bracelets. This involves, among other things:

• We will start to use gemstones that have been used already: ‘pre-loved’ stones. No industrial processing needed, so no further environmental impacts!
• We exclusively use recycled gold and soon silver, process these metals only by refiners that share our mission.
• We only work with mines that offer good working conditions and fair pay to all those involved. We also give back to the mining communities by supporting Gem Legacy.
• Even our packaging is made of recycled or biodegradable materials!