Sustainability best practices

As a small local jewellery retail store, we aim to incorporate sustainability best practices into every aspect of our operations. 
To minimise our environmental impact, with our designer partners we strive to source ethically and responsibly mined gemstones and metals, ensuring transparency and traceability where possible. We prioritise partnerships with designers and suppliers who align with our values; promoting fair trade standards and supporting local artisans. 
By working mainly with local designers who produce and finish their jewellery locally its our aim not only to directly support our local economy but to greatly reduce the carbon footprint of our stock.

1. Ethical Sourcing: 
Sustainable jewellery practices promote the use of responsibly sourced materials, such as recycled precious metals and gemstones, reducing the reliance on environmentally harmful mining practices. Ethical sourcing ensures that workers' rights and fair trade practices are upheld throughout the supply chain.
2. Reduced Environmental Impact: 
We aim to work with sustainable jewellery brands implement eco-friendly manufacturing processes that minimise pollution, energy consumption, and waste generation. By using recycled materials and implementing efficient production techniques, they help reduce the industry's carbon footprint and protect our planet.
3. Community Empowerment: 
We work with jewellery brands who create their designs locally. For the larger, more established designers we choose sustainable jewellery brands who collaborate with artisan communities and local craftsmen, providing them with fair wages, equitable working conditions, and training opportunities. These partnerships help support local economies and preserve traditional craftsmanship.
4. Transparency and Traceability: 
Sustainability in the jewellery industry promotes transparency regarding the origin and journey of materials, ensuring that consumers can make informed choices. Traceability measures help combat the issue of conflict or blood diamonds, allowing customers to buy jewellery without supporting unethical practices.
5. Long-lasting Quality: 
Sustainable jewellery brands prioritise durability and timeless designs that withstand trends. By crafting pieces that are built to last, they encourage a shift away from disposable fashion and foster a more sustainable consumption pattern. This can of course mean a longer wait for made-to-order with a higher price reflecting the increased quality.
We don’t believe in greenwashing however and want to highlight the inconsistent standards. There is currently no universally recognised standard for sustainability within the jewellery industry. Brands might employ different approaches and criteria when labelling their products as sustainable, making it challenging for consumers to compare and make informed choices.

Starting small

Where possible we want to increase awareness and visibility of sustainable brands is crucial in our store. We implement energy-efficient lighting and minimise waste by utilising recycled and recyclable or biodegradable packaging materials. 
We are a very small team of two who cycle to work and where possible collect jewellery directly from our local designers reducing our overall carbon footprint and without the need for extra packaging. We offer bike delivery locally on all orders. Additionally, we actively engage with our customers, educating them about the benefits of sustainable jewellery and encouraging them to make conscious choices. 
By adopting this sustainability plan, we aim to create the smallest possible impact on the environment and inspire others to follow suit. 

Designers supply chain and ethics

A work in progress…
Our independent designers are constantly reviewing their ethical and sustainable practices and procedures. As a rule, production is done in house by the hands of the designer. In some cases with the slightly more established brands who produce in slightly larger quantities they are working with small workshops either in the UK or abroad. In each case the workshops and designers have good relationships and production is closely monitored by the brands to ensure manufacture is of the highest ethical standards.
Because of this we don’t follow ‘fast fashion’ trends but rather work with designers who are producing designs with their own distinct handwriting that have more timeless appeal and are not constantly churning out the next big thing.
We want to be as transparent. For the very small designers who have to compete against price from larger brands it is often more difficult to trace stones and metal back to source. That doesn’t mean that it is not possible but this service will be reflected in the price. We can however give assurance that materials are purchased from reputable trade counters who have to follow strict guidelines regarding the sourcing of stones and metals that are conflict free.
The designers we work with use mostly recycled metals where possible.
We know from talking to our customers that concerns over ethical and sustainable jewellery are particularly important to you when purchasing an engagement or wedding ring, and rightly so! It will be worn for years to come and it’s important to be confident that your purchase was done in good faith. The following are ethical statements from our most popular fine jewellery designers.
For more information on any specific designers or styles please email info@thewearer.com

What do the designers say?

  • Shimell & Madden

    Shimell & Madden are responsible for their entire making process and they can guarantee that they maintain a very high standard of working practice and environment within their studio.

    S&M strive to be a transparent as possible with their customers. The suppliers they use all follow ethical code of practice. As a small brand S&M have certain cost limitations on sourcing their materials but the majority of their precious metal comes from recycled sources.

    They are registered Fair-trade Goldsmiths which gives customers the option of using fair-mined gold.

    Stones come from a selection of sources so where not all are traceable back to source all are responsibly sourced from ethical suppliers.

    It is entirely possible to use materials that are fully traced back to source although a premium is attached to this service.

    They have always been and will always be transparent with their customers, it is one of their main priorities to be able to explain the material content of their jewellery and the traceability of the gemstones, honesty is at the core of their practise.

    They also work on many bespoke projects where they reuse the existing precious metal and/or gemstones.

  • Alex Monroe

    Precious metals sourced from suppliers Heimerle & Meulle; a German company specialising in precious metals 60% of which are recycled, the other 40% mined in the EU.

    All diamonds comply with the Kimberly process. The Kimberley Process (KP) unites administrations, civil societies, and industry in reducing the flow of conflict diamonds - ‘rough diamonds used to finance wars against governments’ - around the world.

    They work with the Diamond Foundry who produce quality manmade or ‘synthetic’ diamonds. They quote: No Mining. No Carbon Footprint. No Cartel Pricing. No Middlemen. No Conflicts Funded. No Land Displacement. No Wildlife Displacement. No Animals Harmed. No Ground Water Polluted. No Local Communities Displaced.

    Synthetic diamonds have the same chemical compound and physical features as natural diamonds. In essence they are real diamonds.

    They use naturally coloured Champagne Diamonds, which are ethically sourced from the Argyle Mine in Western Australia

    Sapphires come from Wennick & Leferve As suppliers of precious gemstones their main concern as a company is to ‘never trade gemstones that have in any way led to human misery.’ The stones are ethically mined in Madagascar, Tanzania, Mozambique and Sri Lanka.

  • Niza Huang

    Niza uses recycled gold and sources her gemstones from reputable suppliers who adhere to the strict codes of the Kimberly Process to ensure their exported diamonds are conflict free.

    She also uses stones recycled from vintage pieces from her clients to give the gemstones a second life in a contemporary way.