Earth Day: A Few Thoughts on Jewellery and Sustainability...
The jewellery industry has a problem. Gold mining is one of the most environmentally destructive industries on the planet. A single gold ring can generate around 20 tonnes of waste rock and use vast quantities of water and chemicals in the process... and that's before we even get to the human cost.
This is why Minima uses recycled gold and silver. Recycled precious metals are refined from existing sources (old jewellery, electronics, industrial waste) rather than newly mined. The quality is identical. A gold atom is a gold atom, whether it came out of the ground last year or a hundred years ago. The difference is that recycled metal doesn't require new mining.
Is it perfect? No. Recycling still uses energy. The supply chains for recycled metals aren't always as transparent as they should be. But it's a meaningful step away from an industry that has caused enormous environmental.
The other thing worth mentioning is our made to order model. Nothing at Minima sits in a warehouse waiting to be bought. Every piece is made when you order it, which means no overproduction, no waste from unsold stock, and no pressure to discount things just to clear them out. It's a slower way of working, but it makes sense.
I'm not claiming that buying jewellery is an environmental act. It isn't. But if you're going to buy something, it's always worth thinking about where it comes from and how long it will last. A piece of solid gold jewellery, well made and well cared for, can last generations. That's the opposite of disposable fashion.
Happy Earth Day x