The use of recycled metals has become an important conversation around making sustainable jewellery. At Wild Fawn, we only use recycled metals in our pieces (and have done from the beginning, 12 years ago), so this is a topic we're passionate about, and we love that more and more people are seeking out recycled materials when shopping.
If you're yet to add a recycled piece to your jewellery box, today we're giving you some great benefits of recycled metal jewellery that show why it's our first choice of material for jewellery making. But first, a quick look at what recycled metals are and how they're used.
What are recycled metals?
Recycled metal is a material that is made by melting down existing metal in a way that it can be reused. Almost all metals can be recycled, and certainly all metals that would be used for jewellery, such as sterling silver, gold (both yellow gold and white gold), and platinum.
The metal recycling process used to create metals that are suitable for jewellery differs from the scrap metal recycling process. The right metal items have to be sourced, and these are then melted down, with impurities such as oil, dirt or other particles extracted to ensure that the result meets high quality standards.
Recycled jewellery is jewellery that has been made from recycled metals, and sometimes from other recycled materials too, depending on the design and composition. It can be created by a jeweller who has purchased recycled metals to work with, or by melting down existing metals they already have (like old jewellery and samples) to create jewellery pieces from.
Let's take a look at the benefits of recycled metal jewellery, all of which make wonderful reasons to choose it next time you want to add to your jewellery box.
The benefits of recycled jewellery
It has a lower environmental impact
Using recycled metals instead of newly mined ones preserves natural resources, making it a much more responsible choice for eco-conscious jewellery shoppers.
The jewellery industry accounts for 16.5% of global demand for new silver, for example, but the mining process that goes into obtaining it causes land degradation and habitat loss, as well as being heavy on water consumption.
If you are keen to do what you can to protect the planet, then choosing recycled means you aren't contributing further to these issues.
It reduces waste
Another way that recycled metals contribute to sustainability in the industry is through their impact on landfill. When existing metals are saved from landfill, waste is reduced, and they can become part of a circular economy; in fact, metals are an excellent candidate in this respect because they can be recycled again and again without losing any of their quality. You can't get much more circular than that!
Recycled metals are high quality
If you suspect that recycled metals come with a compromise on quality, think again.
The extraction process during metal recycling ensures that elements that might have an impact on the quality of the metal are removed, and only the pure metal remains, ready to be made into something new. While this is an important factor in ensuring quality when it comes to recycled metals, it's also the case that metal is simply one of the most easily recyclable resources we have.
Metal can be recycled over and over again without losing any of its quality; you wouldn't be able to tell that a metal was recycled without specifically being told.
No compromise on cost
Some people aren't sure what to expect with the pricing of recycled metals, since they are often used by sustainable brands, leading to a misconception that they will be more expensive or marked up in price. However, in most cases, a piece of the equivalent quality made with newly mined metals would likely be around the same in cost, taking into account the usual differences in price points across different brands.
It protects people involved in mining
It is starting to become more broadly known that the extraction of precious metals contributes to human rights violations, although still not necessarily as well known as it should be. By choosing recycled instead of new, we hope to collectively lessen the demand for newly mined materials and contribute to preventing the exploitation issues that are common for those involved in the mining industry.
It's strong and durable
Recycled metals are every bit as strong and durable as newly mined metals. There's no compromise on how long your item will last, or how strong it will be - because recycling doesn't reduce the quality, a recycled metal is every bit as durable as a new one. You can rest assured that jewellery pieces made from recycled materials are no more fragile than any other piece of jewellery you might own.
Reduced carbon footprint
Recycled metals are just one way the jewellery industry as a whole can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, further contributing to a lower environmental impact. For example, recycled sterling silver only produces around 14% of the greenhouse gas emissions that mining for silver does. For gold, the figures are even more astonishing, with carbon emissions reduced by over 99% when using recycled gold versus newly-mined gold.
If you are looking to reduce your carbon footprint with the things you buy and wear, recycled metal jewellery is one way of doing this.
It's meaningful
All of the wonderful ways that recycled jewellery makes for a more ethical and sustainable choice have meaning beyond the piece itself.
For brands that have put thought and care into ethical sourcing, seeking out recycled metals so that they can put people and planet ahead of profit, each piece of jewellery bought from them means another person supporting their purpose. And for those who care about sustainability, wearing a recycled piece - or receiving one, if it is a gift - means something important about who they are, too.
Your vote for a better world
Sustainability isn't a trend; it's a genuine move to care for our planet and the people on it, and a way each of us can really show that it matters is to vote with our money. Choosing to specifically seek out jewellery that has been made ethically with recycled materials is your vote for the kind of world you'd like to live in.
Ready to add a recycled metal piece to your jewellery box? Discover our range of ethically-made necklaces, rings and earrings, or get in touch if we can help with a bespoke jewellery piece.
