The ugly truths behind our prettiest things don’t just stop with humanitarian issues: the production of fine jewellery also presents a lot of environmental challenges. Considering the fact we’re talking about an industry worth 228 billion US dollars, which is massively dependent on mining rare minerals, it’s hard to imagine how earrings, necklaces, rings and the like could ever be sustainably produced.

Here’s the thing: environmentally responsible jewellery does exist. But honestly, the industry is a complex minefield that anyone would understandably struggle to navigate. While putting this piece together, we ran up against murky definitions, controversial certifications and complex production processes. But with input from a sustainability expert, and listening to the brands we trust, we’ve come up with a guide to buying jewellery that is better for the planet (and hopefully as easy to digest as a Leonardo DiCaprio film). 

First things first: what is sustainable jewellery? 

Like just about everything to do with sustainability, there’s no universal definition or industry standard when it comes to sustainable jewellery. This is frustrating on many levels, but mainly because it means it’s open for interpretation by both brands and buyers. And we know anything unregulated or open for interpretation is ripe ground for greenwashing. 

In light of that, we asked sustainability expert, Celeste Tesoriero, to tell us how she defines sustainable jewellery. She says jewellery is environmentally sustainable if it uses recycled and/or responsibly sourced materials, is produced with a minimal impact on the environment and is made using conflict-free resources. 

Tesoriero adds that transparency is the most important thing to consider when deciding whether a brand is actually sustainable or not. Basically, that means assessing how much information it is providing about the products it sells and how they were made. Her checklist includes materials used (raw or recycled), where those materials were sourced (particularly when it involves diamonds or gemstones), whether a brand has a sustainability roadmap and what certifications are included. 

The co-founders of artisan jewellery brand Released from Love, Hannah Roche and Lachlan Malone, consider these things but also look deeper into the “why” when measuring a product’s or brand’s sustainability. They do this by asking basic questions: Why was this jewellery made? Who made the jewellery? Where was it made?