Have you ever wondered where that stunning, shiny diamond on your ring is sourced? Or how your earrings, bracelets, or necklaces are made? This is hardly the first thought that comes to mind when purchasing jewellery. However, it should be a significant concern to us since most of these pieces make up what is termed as fast fashion jewellery- trendy, cheap and short-lived. We look at the fine line between ethical vs practical jewellery manufacture practices.
What is Fast Fashion?
You have most likely heard this term used to describe apparel. Yet, it covers other aspects of the fashion industry like jewellery. Fast fashion is the rapid production en masse of clothing or jewellery to meet customer demands. Mostly, these are pieces that have been sampled from runways. Fast fashion jewellery is characterized by low-quality pieces worn once or twice and quickly replaced by the next trendier collection. It is not sustainable because it makes up a big part of the toxic system of overproduction and consumption, contributing to pollution.
The Link Between Cheap Jewellery And Fast Jewellery
Brands are always trying to outdo themselves on producing the latest trends from runways. This means that the turnaround time for producing these trendy items for the mass market becomes shorter due to the demand. Ultimately, quality suffers. It is also sold cheaper to make the pieces move from the shelves faster for the next cycle.
Additionally, jewellery made for fast fashion isn't made from precious metals and real stones. Instead, they come in alloys and crystals made to look like the designer jewellery on the runways. You may notice that necklaces snap quickly once worn, or "real" gold rings make your finger itch. In the end, you will have worn it once or twice before it ends up in a landfill.
Over and above that, as the demand for trendy jewellery soars, companies look to lower their production costs by sourcing for their materials in questionable ways. They pay little to no attention to the process of attaining the raw materials. The US Department of Labor discovered forced child labour in the production of the raw materials used to make jewellery like diamonds. Additionally, most of the employed workers who create these statement pieces are paid well below the minimum wage.
The Solution: Ethical Jewellery
To reduce our beautiful planet's harming, you can opt for recycled jewellery or pieces made from recycled materials like gemstones.
Alternatively, opt for brands such as Blomdahl which produce ethical jewellery and upholds qualities such as:
Makes jewellery void of toxic and carcinogenic substances such as cadmium, lead and formaldehyde, phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA).
Does not use child labour and strives to pay workers minimum wage under fair working hours and conditions. The manufacturing and design of Blomdahl jewellery are entirely done in-house in Halmstad, Sweden. 46 staffers, mostly women, contribute their individual knowledge to the brand.
Doesn't use practices that pollute the environment. Blomdahl's earrings are made of carefully selected plastic and titanium of pure medical quality.
