6 Ethical Jewelry Brands to Complete Your Look
At VETTA, we are committed to creating clothing that cares for people and the planet. We believe that you don't have to sacrifice sustainability for style.
Since nothing completes a look quite like the right piece of jewelry, we wanted to highlight a few of our favorite jewelry brands that use ethically sourced materials and sustainable practices. Similar to the clothing industry, the jewelry industry has historically been exploitative of people and resources along the entire supply chain, but there are brands that are working to make the industry more transparent and sustainable.
We’ve broken down our jewelry brands into two categories:
People: Brands that produce their pieces with responsible factories, source gemstones without any connection to conflict or human exploitation, or are committed to paying members of their supply chain a living wage.
Planet: Brands who use are dedicated to preserving natural resources by using sustainably sourced materials, such as recycled metals or alternatives to natural gemstones.
Meet our six favorite ethical jewelry brands that we’re loving right now! We hope you can use this list as a jumping-off point for adding long-lasting accessories to your capsule wardrobe.
Catbird Jewelry- People and Planet $$
This Brooklyn-based brand is a VETTA team favorite for vintage-inspired pieces. Catbird Jewelry uses recycled gold and conflict-free, responsibly sourced stones. They have been practicing sustainability and production transparency since their founding in 2004, and the Catbird line is entirely made in New York. They offer light-filled working spaces with new machines and incredible benefits (including a retirement plan) for local New York artisans. They minimize their carbon footprint by working together in a single warehouse, that houses not only the design studio, but the shipping and corporate offices, which ultimately lowers the environmental impact and avoids extra markups.
We love their Famous Letter Rings, and the Big Little Charm Collection which allows you to pair chains and charms to reflect your specific style.
Raven + Lily- People + Planet $$
Any brand that favors long-lasting pieces over fleeting trends is a brand we can get behind! Raven + Lily partners with artisans all over the world to produce their ethically made pieces. Working with women-led small businesses, Raven + Lily employs skilled craftspeople that are focused on investing in their communities. They often use recycled and upcycled materials and create timeless jewelry that’s designed to last.
Some of our favorite pieces are the Ellsworth Rings- which are great for stacking- or Nica Chain Necklace, both of which are made out of recycled brass by artisans in Kenya. Inspired by the subtropical environment around them, we think these chunky statement pieces pair well with natural and relaxed styles.
Bayou with Love- People and Planet, $$$
Lifestyle-brand, Bayou with Love, makes all of their jewelry in Los Angeles and sources their gold from an unlikely source- recycled computer parts in a unique partnership with Dell Technologies! By focusing on conscious sourcing and sustainable production, they have been able to find the beauty in materials that already exist and repurpose materials that have been previously discarded. Their partner factory recycles and reuses all of the water, wax-casting, and trace metals in order to be as close to zero-waste as possible!
Bayou with Love pieces are inspired by the desire to achieve a balance between nature, how we feel, and what we wear. We especially love their use of coral textures, floating diamonds, and Australian-sourced opals for a more bohemian, whimsical look.
Soko- People $
Soko is a women-led ethical jewelry line that believes in using business as a drive for good. They are a registered B-Corp, which means they balance business decisions with their dedication to positively impact artisan communities and the environment. They’ve created technology that uses mobile phones as a virtual factory to provide global market access to artisan communities in Kenya.
Soko’s Everyday Collection is the perfect place to shop for key pieces for your capsule wardrobe. We love the Capsule Collar Necklace, which is handcrafted in brass by artisans in Kenya using traditional techniques.
VRAI – People + Planet $$$
VRAI creates beautiful diamond jewelry with high-quality materials and timeless designs. Their diamonds are sustainably grown through a technology that recreates the conditions in which diamonds form in nature, and uses 100% renewable solar and wind energy sources. Their diamonds are atomically and chemically identical to mined diamonds, and they don’t carry with them the human and environmental toll of mining. All of VRAI’s jewelry is made in Los Angeles and New York.
While their pieces are pricey (due to…the diamonds), there are some simple styles that are beautiful, timeless, and won’t break the bank. We love their tiny diamond collection, especially the Tiny Diamond Ring.
Omi Woods- People + Planet $$$
Omi Woods, founded by Ashley Alexis McFarlane, makes contemporary heirloom jewelry for everyday wear. Each piece is individually and ethically handmade, using fair-trade gold and conflict-free fine metals. We love their commitment to using small-scale, artisanal mines that focus on fair pay to make their pieces. Collections are named after the African country of inspiration or emblems of their surroundings.
You might have caught a look at her pieces on the May 2020 Issue of British Vogue, with cover girl Rhianna wearing pieces of their first collection of African Fair-Trade gold!
We hope you're able to find a new piece of jewelry from a brand that you can feel good about supporting right now. Pair your new ethical accessories with a sustainable capsule from VETTA!
