There is so much unique, beautiful and affordable eco jewelry around; there’s really no need to spend your money somewhere that doesn’t deserve it! We’ve picked out a few of our favourite necklaces and highlighted along the way why buying green is the only way to go.
Eco Pendants
So much can be done with a simple pendant necklace. They can be beautiful and classy, like the silver 2 bar necklace above, or fun and unique like the cheeky monkey dachshund design (more on these in the Eco Silver Necklaces section below).
If you’re a creative soul, why not just get hold of some chain or leather thong and then make your own designs. All the fashion mags tell me key pendants are big this year- how easy would that be to custom make?
The other two necklaces featured above are a gold necklace from Anna Korte and a stunning fern pendant hand made in Brazil from an actual leaf dipped in yellow gold or sterling silver.
Eco Lockets
Lockets can be a very special necklace, used to keep something close to your heart at all times. A locket should therefore be chosen with great care- you want the container to be as special as what’s inside.
From left to right:
A Sacred Place – another piece from vintage designer Anna Korte. Anna uses 99% authentic vintage materials. More often than not, she reworks older pieces of jewelry found in home sales and antique stores.
Lemon Fruity Charms – a similarly unique piece of jewelry from designers VerdeRocks. Like Anna Korte, this company uses reclaimed, recycled and fair trade materials for its pieces. Their vintage designs are complemented by modern twists- in this case a lemon twist!
Memoire Locket Necklace – a sterling silver design with freshwater pearl detail. This precious locket is designed to hold anything you desire, from a lock of hair to a photograph or note. It is handmade in the USA and is featured on the Sundance Catalogue- a company dedicated to celebrating the natural world.
Radiant Love Locket – This necklace was designed by Jes MaHarry, an artist in California who uses the “flora, fauna and kaleidoscopic landscapes” of California to inform her pieces. This 14kt gold heart bears the message “Feel the love radiate from your soul”.
Silver Eco Necklaces
Silver, as with any semi-precious or precious metal or stone, has some serious negative eco effects. Mining is always destructive and, because there are so many middlemen between the mining companies and the people that end up buying the end product, it’s very difficult to demand greener practices (source). If you’re set on something silver, the very best thing you can do is buy from designers who use reclaimed or recycled silver. If that’s not possible, make sure you’re not causing any more damage and choose a company with a clear environmental and fair trade policy.
From right to left:
Cheeky Monkey Bull Terrier – All Cheeky Monkey designs are made from 100% recycled and fair trade materials, right down to the precious gems used as detail. The unique designs are hugely popular with celebs and have been spotted on the likes of Nelly Furtado, Tori Spelling and Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger.
Sterling 2 Bar Necklace – This is a really striking design made by people with disabilities who live in Peru. The organisation, Anonymous Angels, trains local people in the art of jewelry making and this necklace is testament to how well the concept works. One of the founders says the name came about because “Anyone who buys jewelry from us is an anonymous angel.”
2 Jequitiba Leaf Necklace – This delicate piece is made by Nugaard Designs, the same designers responsible for the fern leaf pendant above. As with all their products, the design and the materials it is made from are sourced from Brazil; everything they use is responsibly extracted from the country. This particular necklace is made from two silver plated leaves positioned on two silver chains (also available in gold).
Lace Necklace from Bario-Neal – This company is based in Philadelphia where it makes all of its products in an environmentally friendly manner. The chains are made from recycled metals, colored gem stones are ethically sourced, and diamonds are conflict free.
Statement Necklaces
This season is all about making a statement with your accessories, and big necklaces bursting with attitude are the perfect way to accomplish that challenge!
Amber Rock Candy Necklace – This is another design from Anonymous Angels. This necklace is made up of multiple hand-crocheted elastic strands of cascajo stones all twisted together.
Double Strand Copper-Gold Necklace – This necklace was hand made by artisans in Guatemala and it’s length means it can be worn in any number of ways. It’s bulky enough to wear long in a single loop, and detailed enough to look particularly stylish wound round the neck a few times.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post! I adore all things antiques, but in particular engagement rings.