Some socially conscious jewelry brands are catching ethical and eco-minded eyes with fully traceable, ethical supply chains, lab-grown diamonds, recycled gemstones, Fairmined Gold, and a host of green business practices with third-party certifications to back them up.
But that’s not really enough, is it?
Going forward, our Brand Rating System will influence which brands get featured in our articles. The system assesses brands against 22 different criteria, from climate action to transparency and ethics. Our explainer has all the details.
Brands need to opt in (and pay) to be rated so if you don’t see any on the list below and want a deeper view of their sustainability creds, reach out and ask them to get rated.
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
Top Picks: Conscious Jewelry Brands
Italy-based Rays & Riches transforms ethical metals and upcycled gemstones into earthy, eco-conscious jewelry.
Mejuri takes jewelry brands with a conscious to another level. Their one-of-a-kind pieces support environmental protection and BIPOC communities.
Index: Jewelry Brands With A Conscious
- Praxis Jump to brand
- Rays&Riches Jump to brand
- Mejuri Jump to brand
- Bario Neal Jump to brand
- Astor & Orion Jump to brand
- Catbird Jump to brand
- Valley Rose Jump to brand
Praxis
Price Range: $30–$1,594
Praxis Jewelry’s unique and personalized jewelry range includes rings, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings. They have been featured in stores across the globe, including Anthropologie and Nordstrom.
Praxis Jewelry Ethical & Sustainability Practice
Materials:
Their jewelry features recycled metals (silver and gold) and conflict-free diamonds with SCS Global certification.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Each piece is handcrafted by owner Allison in her San Diego Studio.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Eco-friendly recycled materials are incorporated into her designs, naturally meaning a smaller carbon footprint.
Rays&Riches
Price Range: $9–$186
Rays & Riches’ collection, featuring designs inspired by organic shapes and cosmic movements, includes items like small spiral rings, rose quartz earrings, and beaded ear climbers. Each piece is a one-of-a-kind creation, often sold only once, which adds an exclusive allure to their offerings.
All pieces are completely unique, and often only sold once.
Rays & Riches Sustainability & Ethical Practices
Materials:
Most of the hypoallergenic 14k gold fill they use is recycled, though a small percentage comes from Responsible Jewelry Council suppliers.
The rest of their sustainable materials (conscious gems and pearls) are extracted from pre-loved materials, though these gemstone pieces are often extremely limited in run.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Every piece of Earth conscious jewelry is made in Italy by founder Manuela herself.
Pieces are made-to-order, meaning no overproduction, exploitation, or waste.
Green practices & carbon commitments:
Minus the soft inlay in some jewelry boxes, all packaging is 100% biodegradable and recyclable.
The soft plastic-free inlay in each jewelry box is made from tall oil, a cool byproduct of the wood industry. It’s an awesome shift from materials derived from crude oil.
All shipping is 100% carbon offset.
Mejuri
Price Range: $28–$5,900
One of the best high-quality jewelry brands for conscious spenders, Mejuri is a glimmering-good place to turn for everyday fine jewelry.
Their range includes earrings, rings, necklaces, bracelets, wedding jewelry, and conscious jewelry for men and women.
Mejuri’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
All 14k gold pieces are made with 95% certified recycled and 5% responsibly mined gold. Meanwhile, 92% of their silver products are made with recycled 925 sterling silver.
They also use gold vermeil and titanium, which are finished with responsibly-sourced gemstones, pearls, and enamel.
Supply chain & labor practices:
They work with suppliers who are certified for international ethical standards, like those from the Responsible Jewelry Council.
Though they could be more transparent with their sources, their suppliers must uphold the standards outlined by their Social & Environmental Accountability Program, as well as their Code of Conduct.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Mejuri is a founding partner of Regeneration, a re-mining initiative dedicated to rehabilitating legacy mine sites and restoring nearby natural environments.
They have a polybag recycling program that collects and ships potential waste to specialized recycling partners.
Part of their climate neutral initiatives involves offsetting carbon through clean and renewable energy credits.
Community & charitable giving:
Via the Salmon Gold initiative from RESOLVE, they have donated over $45,000 to support salmon habitat restoration through gold mining.
Their Empowerment Fund has supported BIPOC women and nonbinary individuals by providing over $324,000 in higher education scholarships.
Bario Neal
Price Range: $110–$12,760
Through continuous improvement, Bario Neal aims to “create a new sustainable standard within the jewelry industry”.
The woman-owned and run socially conscious jewelry company offers engagement and wedding rings, custom pieces, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, and wedding bands.
They also offer fine jewelry pieces for babies and children.
Bario Neal’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
All precious metals are 100% recycled or Fairmined certified.
They also use repurposed or fully traceable colored gemstones, from US mines or those globally that adhere to strict labor and environmental standards.
In addition to using SCS-certified lab created diamonds, they use natural white and black ethically-sourced diamonds from Australia, Canada, and Brazil.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Their Fairmined gold comes from artisanal and small-scale mines (ASM) and is refined in the US.
Australian diamonds come from the Argyle Diamond Mine before being finished in Mumbai, Valsad, and Surat under fair and safe working conditions.
Canadian diamonds come from strictly monitored mines in the Northwest Territories.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Bario Neal’s partner refineries use practices to minimize environmental impacts while recycling the metals.
Their carbon-neutral lab grown diamonds support the Himalayan Climate and Clean Air Project.
Community & charitable giving:
Reflective of their founding belief in marriage equality, inclusivity, comprehensive sizing, and non-gendered design are considered in all pieces.
By supporting ASM mines—of which women are half of the workforce—Bario Neal supports gender equality that helps to strengthen communities.
They also regularly donate to organizations committed to LGBTQIA+ lives, women’s empowerment, and art education.
Astor & Orion
Price Range: $45—$240
Seattle-based Astor & Orion’s collection of demi-fine jewelry (meaning it’s affordably attainable yet still high-quality) includes earrings and necklaces in a variety of statement-making styles.
A unique 3D sculpting system transforms the precious metals into creative curves and interlocking geometries, mimicking those found in the natural world.
Astor & Orion’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Each piece contains a 70% recycled stainless steel cast, plated in either silver or 18k yellow or rose gold.
These platings are at least partially recycled—using gold and silver particles filtered out of the air of their refinery—but we’re not certain of the percentage.
Supply chain & labor practices:
As A&O custom designs and casts the majority of the jewelry and components (closures, ear hooks, etc.) themselves, their supply chain is short and transparent.
Following the ETI Base Code, their SEDEX/SMETA-approved Thailand factory does not use child/forced labor and its ISO 45001 certification ensures the workplace is safe.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
In addition to labor standard certifications, their manufacturing partner holds several environmental certifications: ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001, Eco Industrial Town Certificate, and Carbon Offset Certificate.
Committed to circularity, production materials are reclaimed and reused, like the air filter which not only makes air safer for workers but recaptures gold and silver dust to be reused.
Their manufacturing partner also filters out pollutants from wastewater.
Through their take-back program, old pieces can be sent back for local recycling, in Seattle courtesy of store credit.
When checking out, add a shipping carbon offset for the sustainable finishing touch.
Community & charitable giving:
Astor & Orion is a member of the Sustainable Fashion Alliance and Fashion Revolution.
Catbird
Price Range: $14–$15,500
NYC-based Catbird has rings, earrings, anklets, necklaces, and bracelets for every day (and “the big day”) adornment.
From the Diamond Fizz Necklace for everyday walking around town, to the gorgeous Swan Solitaire Ring for walking to the altar.
Catbird’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The quality jewelry brand works almost entirely with recycled gold and diamonds for their in-house collections.
Their gold is sourced from vendors that minimize their environmental impact by purchasing a mix of recycled metals and ethically-sourced materials and creating their own alloys.
Both their recycled and lab-grown diamonds adhere to the Kimberley Process.
For the rest of their stones & materials, sourcing is unclear, though they state that their stones are sourced from ethical mines with low environmental impact.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Catbird’s staff receive generous benefits like health insurance, professional development opportunities, retirement plans, and free cold brew coffee.
They are members of No Dirty Gold and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Since their in-house line of ethical engagement rings and more is made entirely in Brooklyn, they keep their local footprint to a minimum.
Community & charitable giving:
Through the Catbird Giving Fund, 1% of all sales (over $1 million so far) is donated to equality-promoting non-profits.
Valley Rose
Price Range: $110-$8,740
Valley Rose is paving the way for alternative and revolutionary jewelry, with ethical necklaces, earrings, and rings (engagement, wedding, and every day).
The ethical earrings mimic the stories of the sky, like the dazzling Orion’s Belt clickers made from conflict-free diamonds.
Valley Rose’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Their Aether collection is created from one of the rarest, most-cutting edge diamonds in the world. Alchemized from thin air, the lab-grown diamond is crafted using carbon extracted from the atmosphere. The climate-positive conscious gems are positively radiant.
They also utilize 100% Climate Neutral SCS-007 Sustainably Rated lab grown diamonds, salt and pepper diamonds, and recycled diamonds.
Other ethically-sourced gemstones come from small-scale artisanal mines that utilize low-impact mining equipment.
Castings, wires, and chains are 100% Fairmined gold, or, when that isn’t available, recycled gold. Smaller things (like earring backs) may be conventional gold.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Valley Rose is a supporter of Ethical Metalsmiths and ensures everyone in their supply chain is paid fair, liveable wages.
All jewelry is handmade in Sonoma County, California.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
The ethical brand uses PCR paper and compostable materials for all of its packaging, besides their jewelry boxes.
Community & charitable giving:
1% of sales are donated to plant trees in North America and the brand regularly supports charities furthering women’s rights, BIPOC rights, animal rights, and environmental protection.
They also donate 1% of sales to Gem Legacy, a nonprofit whose vision is to create thriving colored gemstone mining communities.
