Sustainability

Treading lightly is at the heart of my business. Mela Jewellery is about timeless, truly handmade pieces that you will definitely wear - and that you'll wear a lot. And so sustainability is important to me. Here's the steps I have taken to reduce my impact as much as possible, and yours as a conscious customer.

Materials

80% of my work is made in recycled silver, I'm working on the last 20%. This means all wire is made from 'ecosilver' which is recycled from scrap rather than mined. Chains, earring backs and some small findings are currently not made from recycled silver, but I am researching into alternatives.

I recently took the decision to stop selling gold filled pieces as I wasn't able to ensure the materials were made in a sustainable way.

I recycle all my scrap silver, down to the last millimetre, either by reusing it myself or with a UK-based foundry. Much of my scrap goes into making recycled silver studs - turning discards into a beautiful pair of earrings.

Packaging

All of my packaging is biodegradable and plastic-free! It is also minimal - your parcel will comprise of an outer box, paper tape, a gift box, a business card and a thank you note. All of which are made from paper and card, the gift box also contains cotton fill. 

My jewellery gift boxes are of excellent quality, and designed to be kept to store your jewellery. The boxes themselves are recycled and recyclable, as is the cotton fill inside them. For studs I include a small paper bag inside the box, to stop them moving around in transit.

Additionally, if you buy my jewellery at one of my stockists all the display materials are also recyclable and plastic-free. I only work with independent boutiques, never fast-fashion companies.

Working practices

Everything is handmade by me, nobody else. I know exactly who made your jewellery because it was me. Nobody is exploited in the process of making your pieces.

I recycle as much as I can. I choose suppliers that are actively trying to reduce their impact by using recyclable packaging. All paper, card and plastic where used is recycled locally. 

 

If you have any questions about my sustainability or my jewellery please don't hesitate to ask. I'm open to suggestions too!