The 6 Best Ethical and Sustainable Jewelry Brands of 2024
Updated: Apr. 08, 2024
Shop from one of these best sustainable jewelry brands and not only will you look good, but you'll feel good, too.
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The perfect pair of earrings can make an outfit. The same goes for a sculptural necklace, that understated ring your finger would feel bare without or that bracelet that racks up compliments. One way to feel even more confident about your jewelry choices? Shop from sustainable brands. Just like sustainable clothing, the best jewelry brands prioritize Mother Earth in their materials and the making of each piece.
That’s why we narrowed down the best sustainable jewelry brands. As you’re shopping jewelry sales and for jewelry on Amazon (or any retailer, really!), keep a few ethically minded qualities in mind. Think recycled metals, conflict-free diamonds, fair trade business models and minimal packaging.
Scroll on for consciously crafted jewelry that’ll ensure you look good while feeling good.
The best ethical and sustainable jewelry brands
- Best overall: Mejuri
- Best budget: The Little Market
- Best for gifts: Monica Vinader
- Best statement piece: Soko
- Best American-made: Laura Lombardi
- Best for fine jewelry: Pamela Love
Best overall sustainable jewelry brand
Mejuri
No matter your style, Mejuri, our favorite sustainable jewelry brand, has something for everyone. Its styles, which range from affordable jewelry and minimal designs to more extravagant showstoppers, all keep sustainability top of mind. By working directly with jewelers, the brand is able to cut out expensive middlemen and pass along fair and transparent pricing. The materials boast thoughtful, recycled choices, including conflict-free diamonds and durable gold. A fifth of the responsibly mined materials chosen supports communities dependent on the industry.
Pros
- Transparent pricing
- Created with recycled gold and conflict-free diamonds
- Goes-with-everything styles
Cons
-
Certain styles tend to sell out fast
Best budget sustainable jewelry brand
The Little Market
For affordable sustainable jewelry, head straight to The Little Market. Its budget-friendly pieces, which cost as low as $22, can be worn for any day and any occasion. Take the dainty necklaces, for instance, which look just as natural with jeans and a T-shirt as they would a cocktail dress. The best part? The Little Market focuses on uplifting women artisans in over 25 countries, using ethically sourced materials and celebrating traditional techniques.
Pros
- Most pieces cost under $100 (and some under $25!)
- Materials are conflict-free and ethically sourced
- Partners with a variety of global artisans
Cons
-
Currently only offer necklaces and bracelets
Best sustainable jewelry brand for gifts
Monica Vinader
Sustainable jewelry brands, like Monica Vinader, take their mission seriously. Not only are all of her sophisticated and structural designs (all gift-worthy pieces!) made from entirely recycled gold and sterling silver, but the packaging is Earth-friendly, too. The brand offers a five-year warranty and lifetime repair service in an effort to extend the lifespan of each piece. You can even send in old gold and silver jewelry, regardless of the brand, and they’ll recycle it for a credit, which you can use to treat yourself to a new pretty piece.
Pros
- Created from 100% recycled gold and sterling silver
- Many styles are traceable (from conception to completion)
- Offers a wide range of products and styles
Cons
-
Not all styles’ origins are traceable
Best sustainable jewelry brand for statement pieces
Soko
Soko will turn your head with its eye-catching sustainable fashion jewelry, like not-so-dainty chain link necklaces and knuckle-to-knuckle band rings. Then, Soko will keep your attention with their focused mission: They are intent on promoting Kenyan artisans on a global scale, providing them with economic independence and providing you with the best sustainable jewelry, all made from recycled materials.
Pros
- Created from recycled brass and locally sourced recycled glass
- Connects artisans in Kenya with the global marketplace
- Bold designs appeal to a range of styles
Cons
-
Doesn’t have many colorful pieces
Best American-made sustainable jewelry brand
Laura Lombardi
When shopping for sustainable jewelry brands, knowing where a piece originates from is key. In the case of Laura Lombardi, that’s in her New York City studio. There, her team hand-assembles wear-them-forever bracelets, necklaces and earrings that would be beautiful additions to your jewelry organizer. She also incorporates vintage and archival materials, so sustainably sourced materials drive the brand.
Pros
- Designs hand-assembled in New York City
- Many pieces designed with upcycled materials
- Styles range from subtle to standout
Cons
-
Not all of their pieces include recycled materials
Best sustainable jewelry brand for fine jewelry
Pamela Love
Even as Brooklyn-based Pamela Love’s eponymous jewelry line rapidly expanded, its ecological footprint remains a major part of the brand’s mission. That means using recycled materials and ethically sourced, conflict-free stones for all of her eye-catching jewelry, from serpent ear jackets to royal-looking collars with baroque pearls. While the prices of her fine jewelry are higher than other brands on this list, you can feel confident it’s empowering the right people, like artisans in Afghanistan through Love’s work with organizations like Turquoise Mountain.
Pros
- Features ornate and detailed jewelry
- Created with post-consumer metals and ethically sourced stones
- Has fair trade initiatives to support artisans in Afghanistan
Cons
- On the pricey side
What to consider when buying sustainable jewelry
When shopping for sustainable jewelry, keep a close eye on the materials and how they were sourced. Whether recycled material or conflict-free stones, the origin matters. Some sustainable fine jewelry is handmade in the U.S. while others partner with artisans around the world using fair trade practices.
Give a sustainable jewelry brand’s mission a read-through—the website should prominently place its mission for all to see. Quality, craftsmanship and ethical practices should all be at the top of their priorities as a company. If a brand is transparent about its pricing, even better—that way you know both you and the makers are getting a proper price.
How we found the best sustainable jewelry brands
As shopping experts, our only job is to help you find a winning product. We start with the research and reporting basics—what products are made of, what they look like and how much they cost—to ensure that we’re only recommending the buys that are worth your time and money. Then, we research the features that speak to the product’s quality, taking advice from industry insiders and subject matter experts on what makes a product a smart value (or worthy of a splurge). Finally, we do the work of combing through user reviews to see how real people interact with the product, and if it stands up to the test.
FAQ
How do you care for sustainable jewelry?
Just like all your most precious things, you’ll want to treat your sustainable jewelry with TLC. How exactly will depend on the material, but no matter what, your top priority is keeping it dry. Getting your jewelry wet is the fastest way to tarnish your pieces. That means no showering in your jewelry, no swimming in it and taking off rings and bracelets before washing your hands or dishes. Lotions and fragrances aren’t kind to your jewelry, either, so be sure those are dry before accessorizing.
Some brands boast that you can swim and shower in their jewelry. Feel free to take their word for it, but if you’re unsure, it’s better to be diligent rather than end up with tarnished jewelry.
Proper jewelry storage is a must, too. If your jewelry comes in a cloth pouch, use it. They keep your jewelry’s enemies—the sun, humidity and even air (which oxidizes certain metals)—away, as well as help prevent scratches and chips.
How do you clean sustainable jewelry?
Cleaning jewelry, even sustainable gold jewelry, doesn’t have to be daunting. There are plenty of easy, inexpensive at-home solutions that you likely already have in your kitchen, like baking soda and aluminum foil. To clean silver jewelry, break out some laundry detergent or ketchup (yes, ketchup). Another option to get dazzling pieces in no time: Try adding an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner or a jewelry-cleaning pen to your cart.
Originally Published: April 17, 2023
