AS the world's second-most polluting industry, fashion has been changing its ways for several years now, in a bid to reduce its environmental impact, just like the beauty sector and, more recently, the jewellery sector.
In fact, more and more jewellery brands are coming out with collections in recycled or upcycled gold or silver to reduce their impact on the planet. One such brand is PDPaola, which is launching its first collection of sustainable fine jewellery.
Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but they're not necessarily so friendly for the planet – just like gold, the extraction of which requires the use of harmful and polluting products, and the consumption of thousands of liters of water.
In light of this, many in the sector are taking action, turning to recycling, or even upcycling – two processes used in the ready-to-wear industry – to craft entire collections of jewellery with a reduced impact on the environment.
Recycled 18k gold
The PDPaola jewellery brand has now unveiled its first collection of sustainable fine jewelry, which uses fully recycled 18k gold and lab-grown diamonds obtained without mining. This allows the company to reduce its impact on the environment.
While based on traditional handcrafted manufacturing, this jewellery line is no less trendy with its letter necklaces – a trend that has resurfaced in recent weeks – and its sleek, minimalist creations.
PDPaola claims in a statement that, with these designs, the brand is rethinking what it means to be a woman today, while reinforcing its aspiration to become more environmentally and socially responsible.
Exclusively available online at Pdpaola.com for the moment, the collection is priced from €100 to €1,400 (approx. RM505-RM6,999).
Ethical and sustainable jewellery
The brand is not alone in trying to reduce the impact of its business on the planet. Many brands in the jewelry industry are committed to more ethical and responsible production, which, as in fashion, involves short supply chains, improved working conditions, greater transparency, and the reuse of precious stones and metals.
The recycling of gold and silver is also proving popular with brands.
JEM, which stands for Jewellery Ethically Minded, is one of the first companies to have adopted an ethical and responsible approach, notably with Fairmined certified ethical gold and synthetic diamonds.
"JEM is the first French jeweller to be engaged in the 'Fairmined' industry. This label guarantees the ethical exploitation of gold, extracted from mines that have subscribed to a process of transformation towards eco-responsible progress.
"It is by ensuring sustainable development all along our value chain that we pursue our mission, in consciousness and transparency," reads the brand's website.
Similarly, the Mamour Paris brand offers creations made in France, by hand, in an ethical and artisanal way, notably including a whole collection in recycled sterling silver, and a line featuring organic freshwater pearls.
This approach shows that the green revolution is well and truly underway in this sector, which is also in the midst of change. – ETX Studio, August 6, 2021
