Ethical Vintage Jewelry

Environmental protection is an issue that affects everybody, the people of the western world are the greatest contributors to environmental damage. We have a responsibility to find ways to reduce our impact on the environment. As a movement, it has become mainstream to be conscious of the environmental impact of our actions. The choices are not black and white, they are different shades of grey. As with most ethical choices we have to make. Sustainability is an ideal and we have to make incremental changes and choices with an eye to improving our impact. Carus Jewellery is the ultimate example of the circular system of production.

The future is sustainable, there is a new altruism in the world, people have decided to exercise their control over the environmental problem and make choices to that effect. Altruism is the new political movement, this is a movement which is rooted in reality but needs a lot of assistance to reach its potential. Green movements have to be politically aware as well as environmentally aware.

Initially, Jewelry and sustainability were seen as strange bedfellows. But when you look deeper the industry has always recycled its products in order to re-purpose the item, by breaking it down and reusing materials this has become more visible and acceptable if not lauded, the artistic flair of a Jewelry designer or the integrity of the Jewelry is not affected by the repurposed material.

Jewelry designers have their finger on the pulse of public sentiment. They have a holistic approach to their business, they see beyond the financial and as an art form, Jewelry is the bottom line. During the recession materials and finance were hard to find, new Jewelry designers looked to recycled materials while maintaining their artistic flair. This frugal use of resources morphed into an ability to develop cutting edge Jewelry in a sustainable way. Jewelry designers are in touch with the vanguard of art and self-expression. The public is highly educated and aware of the issues of the environmental impact of fashion material, production and labor issues. The next generation is highly motivated by a good cause and is the future of consumers. A recent study showed that 34% of young people are more persuaded by sustainability than by price.

Well taken care of fine jewelry can be recycled in its entirety, It tends to be of a classical nature and is transferable, down through the generation’s, especially when it skips a generation. The classical design of fine Jewelry makes it highly sustainable. It was beautiful then and is still beautiful now. Reusing fine Jewelry is the ultimate means of reducing the environmental and labor impact of production on the planet. As reusing the product expends very little energy and does not affect indigenous people.

An example of a company who extols these virtues is carusjewellery.com.  Carus is an online Antique and Vintage Jewelry store, Which deals mainly with Fine Jewelry and prides themselves on having a tiny carbon footprint, all materials are maintained in their own form, eliminating the production process, and curated as to make sure the products are beautiful, wearable and of very good condition. This is true sustainability. the circular system is a progressive idea. This is the idea of ethics to match aesthetics. This is our future.