The ultimate guide to sustainable jewelry

The Ultimate Guide to Sustainable Jewelry

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As people become more environmentally aware, eco-friendly options have become more widely popular. And jewelry is no exception! Traditional designs may use precious metals and gemstones that have negative impacts on our surroundings. But there are plenty of easy ways to incorporate more sustainable accessories. And kudos to you for getting a head-start with this ultimate guide to sustainable jewelry.

Affiliate links are used in this blog.

Mining for gold and gemstones is not great for the environment due to the emissions from the equipment

1. The environmental harm of traditional jewelry production

Traditional jewelry production can have an immense environmental footprint. Mining of precious metals and gemstones often results in deforestation, water pollution and soil degradation. Even the production itself often generates large energy consumption that contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.

Gold mining in particular is notoriously harmful to the environment. Firstly, mining emits mercury which is an extremely toxic element which has been shown to cause neurological damage. Furthermore, the large scale removal of soil and rock from nearby waterways contributes to erosion and sedimentation issues.

But good news! There is a great alternative to mining for precious stones. And that is by purchasing lab-created jewelry. Not only is it sustainable jewelry, but it is extremely cost efficient. For example, my lab created jewelry engagement ring is 2.5 karats and cost $1,700. And yes – the diamonds on my ring are REAL. They just weren’t mined from the ground.

A sustainable jewelry option is purchasing a ring with wood or bamboo in the middle

2. Simple swaps to reduce environmental impact

There are various easy changes you can make when shopping for jewelry to lessen its environmental impact. For example, choosing recycled or upcycled materials. Many eco-conscious jewelry brands now incorporate recycled metals and gems in their designs. This helps to reduce demand for newly mined resources.

One approach is to choose jewelry made of alternative materials. Wood and bamboo jewelry has become more widely popular due to their eco-friendliness and unique appearance. Both materials can also be replenished sustainably, reducing environmental impacts over time.

Ethically sourced diamonds make an excellent selection of eco-friendly jewelry. Gemstone mining may involve conflict zones or harmful practices that negatively impact both local communities and the environment. By selecting ethically sourced stones, you help to support responsible mining methods that protect both environmental health and labor standards.

Person cleaning ring. Cleaning your jewelry properly also has an environmental impact

3. Maintain your jewelry the right way

Once you’ve made the switch to ethically made jewelry pieces, it is crucial that they are cared for properly. This will extend their lifespan while decreasing wasteful replacement needs and costs. Below are tips for caring for sustainable jewelry properly.

1. Avoid harsh chemicals or abrasive materials

One essential step to protect sustainable jewelry is to avoid harsh chemicals or abrasive materials. For example, some cleaning solutions and soaps contain acids. Instead, opt for using a soft cloth and gentle soap when cleaning jewelry pieces made of materials like wood or delicate gemstones.

2. Store your jewelry properly

Proper jewelry storage can play an integral role in protecting its value. Store them somewhere dry and cool to avoid direct sunlight or extreme temperatures that might expose them, such as direct heat sources. This helps prevent discoloration or any potential damages to them.

Woman wearing sparkly jewelry. Sustainable jewelry doesn't mean that the jewelry isn't as valuable.

Conclusion on this guide to sustainable jewelry

By making simple adjustments and caring for your jewelry properly, you can lower the environmental impact and support sustainable practices within the jewelry industry. From choosing eco-conscious brands or materials like recycled brass to selecting ethically-sourced gemstones there are multiple options for sustainable choices when accessorizing.

By purchasing environmentally sustainable jewelry, you’re helping support responsible practices within the industry while decreasing your environmental footprint. Remember – small choices still make a significant impact. Pair this with other easy eco-friendly habits, and you’re well on your way to living a sustainable life! 

With some care and consideration, your jewelry could bring joy and beauty into your life for many years while simultaneously contributing towards a cleaner planet. So next time you add to your collection consider going green by choosing sustainable options instead!

Top ways to plan for an eco friendly future

Top Ways to Plan for an Eco-Friendly Future

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When people think of the future, nowadays there is preference towards sustainability. “Let’s leave the planet better than we found it.” “If we aren’t careful, our world will look like how it looks in Wall-E.” Sure we have created amazing things. But in doing so, we have also created substantial damage to the environment. To try and offset this and bring on positive change, many people try to incorporate as many eco-friendly lifestyle changes into their lives as possible. If being more eco-friendly in 2023 is something that interests you, here are several top ways to plan for an eco-friendly future.

Consider and plan what you want your future to look like 

The best way to prepare for the future is to plan ahead. These plans can vary and come in many different shapes and sizes. Whether it’s as big as building and living in a house with renewable energy, or as simple as where you get your groceries from. Your plans can also be much farther in the future. You could even look as far ahead as planning a sustainable funeral and looking into alternatives such as biodegradable urns. Didn’t think that existed did you? Every aspect of our life (and afterlife) can be involved in our eco-friendly future planning.

Get educated and be proactive with your contributions

There are plenty of initiatives and organizations being created to help with the improvement of the environment and impact on climate change. For example, it’s worth checking out Heritage Reforestation reviews to digest some of the helpful topics that might provide inspiration for your own efforts.

Invest in products that will last a long time

Have you ever thought about how many different things that you use in a day? Whatever they may be, all of these products are designed and manufactured by a company to help you. The problem is that some of these products are not very eco-friendly. And worse, many of them aren’t designed to last a long time. Just take the latest iPhone as a great example! Ever notice how your phone starts to slow down after a couple of years? They want you to buy a new device. Even Tupperware has stains after a few uses.

For a lot of people, cutting out or removing many of these daily-used products is not doable. However there are still ways that you are looking to make a positive impact for the future. For almost every product you use regularly, there is a sustainable alternative. They are primarily designed to be repaired and re-used rather than replaced. You could also invest in higher quality products. Even though they are pricier, they are generally designed to last longer than cheaper products.

Purchase bamboo products

There are a lot of products that you didn’t know can be made from bamboo. The amount of bamboo-made products in my house would astound you! As one the most renewable resources in the world, switching to bamboo products instead of normal wood-based on cotton products can help tremendously! You can get bamboo clothes and bedding sheets from Cozy Earth (use the code DONNAGAIL40 for 40% off!). And a simple search on Amazon can bring up tons of bamboo products like toilet paper, paper towels, toothbrushes, drawer organizers, and so many more. If you’re looking for something for your house, odds are there is a bamboo alternative.

Easy and low-effort steps

When people talk about being eco-friendly there is a lot of stigma around making sacrifices. There’s even negativity around putting in hard work for things that may not even be noticeable for many years. However, there are small and easy low-effort steps you could take every now and then to help. If you own a garden one example could be to grow some native plants and trees. You can even just compost your food waste rather than send it to landfill. This way over the coming years you will have significantly reduced your waste footprint and improved your local wildlife habitat.

Follow Industry Eco Champions

In the pursuit of an eco-friendly future, it can help to look towards those who are already leading the way. Following industry champions who ardently promote ecological values can provide guidance, inspiration, and insights into actionable strategies that can be incorporated into our daily lives. By paying attention to their endeavors, we can be exposed to the latest innovations, best practices, and sustainable solutions that might otherwise go unnoticed. One notable figure in this space is Selwyn Duijvestijn. A committed advocate for sustainability, Selwyn’s work emphasizes the need for a holistic approach to environmental conservation, intertwining both business and eco-friendly objectives.

Your present and future are both entwined with one another. It is incredibly important to think about what you can do today to help tomorrow. Why not consider these top ways to plan for an eco-friendly future, and see if you can implement any of them into your life?

Three ways to Disney Bound on a budget tips

How to Disney Bound on a Budget

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As you know from Six Reasons Why You Should NEVER Clear Your Closet Out If You Want To Disney Bound, it is extremely important to never get rid of what’s in your closet because Disney Bounding is a pretty expensive hobby! So how do you make sure you can still keep your Disney Bounds fresh, frequent, and cute but not break the bank? Here’s how you are going to Disney Bound on a budget.

I won’t drag this out any longer, shopping at

Thrift stores are nothing like they used to be

I grew up bouncing from thrift store to thrift store with my mom. The long hours, the disorganized atmosphere, and that weird smell that they all seemed to have all gave me the impression that thrift stores are, in all matters of the word, “icky”.

But over the last few years, I started to see so many people finding adorable Disney finds by shopping at thrift stores. Not to mention, finding pieces that seemed way too new to already be in a thrift store. So I decided to go back and I was so pleasantly surprised with how organized the thrift stores I went to were now!

Since then, I have frequented thrift stores as my go-to for finding Disney Bounds with ease! The bill has always been so cost-friendly and the quality has actually been shockingly good. I guess you can thank fast-fashion for that because that fashion sure turns up in thrift stores pretty darn fast. For those in the San Diego area, my absolute favorite thrift store is Valley Thrift Store. I can’t tell you how many things I have found there, including actual Disney Parks products.

What to consider while thrift shopping

I think one of the biggest things you need to remember while thrift store shopping is to not go in with one specific idea of what you want or need. It’s good to have direction, but it isn’t a good idea to have one exact thing you want otherwise you will walk out disappointed.

The other big thing I think you need to remember while shopping is to remember that you don’t HAVE to shop. What I mean by that is to remember what you have in your own closet at home. There’s no need to waste money on something you can easily incorporate into your outfit that you already have.

Below I have attached some pictures of my content that would not be possible without thrifting:

Carlos Disney Bound from the DCOM The Descendants
Carlos from the Descendants
Olaf Disney Bound inspired from Frozen 2
Olaf from Frozen
Great Disney products found at thrift stores
Not necessarily a Bound, but a perfect example of finding cool Disney merch!

Poshmark has given me a more accurate searching tool for Disney Bounding on a budget

Now, if you can’t find any thrift store finds that suit you or don’t have ones near you, then I highly recommend getting addicted to Poshmark like I have. Through this site, I was able to find the types of pieces that I wasn’t able to find while shopping. Not to mention that I scored an incredible deal on them.

Poshmark listings are pretty much like shopping thousands of thrift stores in an online setting. Not to mention, I can make some side money selling the pieces that I have grown out of or don’t have a need for anymore. {If you want to jumpstart your own closet, use my code DONNA_FAABORG when signing up for a new account and you will receive $10 to spend on the app!}

Here’s some examples of complete Disney Bound outfits that I have found on Poshmark:

Yess from Wreck It Ralph 2 Disney Bound
Yesss from Wreck It Ralph 2
Stromtrooper Disney Bound with Darth Vader crossbody bag
Stormtrooper in Galaxy’s Edge
Dark Side inspired outfit in Galaxy's Edge
A general Star Wars Dark Side look

Shein has a huge catalog to find amazing Disney Bound ideas

Lastly, Shein is an online store that has a huge library of great finds for Disney Bounds. The prices are usually pretty low and there are pages and pages of pieces to explore. The only downside is that some of the item are pretty hit or miss in terms of fit and quality. I really only shop on Shein for more specific things I am trying to find for my Disney Bounds. Below I have attached some pictures of outfits that were put together solely from Shein: (shop these looks by clicking the picture or following me on LikeToKnow.It)

Slave Princess Jasmine Disney Bound from Aladdin
Slave Jasmine from Aladdin
Princess Rapunzel Disney Bound and Legally Blonde crossover
Rapunzel from Tangled and “Legally Blonde” crossover
Ahsoka Tano Star Wars Disney Bound
Ahsoka Tano from the Clone Wars animated series

Use these resources to Disney Bound on a budget regularly!

Overall I am coming to realize that I never should have given away any of my old clothes because I probably got rid of so many great things that I could have used for future Disney Bounds! So as much as your significant others may beg you to empty your closet, just let them know that by cleaning it, that just means you have to spend more to create future outfits.

I hope if you had a similar opinion about thrift stores that this blog will help you give them a second chance. Start shopping and get ready to make some awesome Disney Bounds! Look out for more blogs to get inspiration on how to continue to Disney Bound on a budget.

You Should NEVER Clear Your Closet Out If You Want To Disney Bound

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This is for anyone that is being told that they need to downsize their closet. Don’t listen to them. You don’t need that kind of negativity in your life. One of the best Disney Bounding tips? Don’t clear out your closet and here’s why!

Loki Disney Bounding in an elevator
Classy Loki Disney Bound

1. Disney Bounding is an expensive hobby.

By purchasing items that may only work for one character, the shopping bill adds up. Which is why it’s imperative that you don’t get rid of items that could be reused for another picture! For example, this green blazer I bought for a Loki Bound is something I didn’t think I would wear again. But I actually found so much use for it for a Slytherin outfit and countless holiday outfits! Also what if you took a picture of your Aladdin Disney Bound in the parks with Aladdin himself, but now you think it would also be cool to take it on a vacation where you might be visiting some sand dunes? Boom! You get two awesome pictures for the price of keeping one whole outfit.

2. Every new Disney movie is an opportunity to see new characters and make new Bounds.

We have no idea what new characters we will fall in love with in the future and who knows? That one cardigan you donated a month ago would have been PERFECT for that new character! If only you didn’t get rid of it….. And this also applies to OLD shows too! When was the last time you watched That’s So Raven or Even Stevens? It’s possible to get inspired by one of their outfits to do a throwback look. But what you aren’t done with these Disney Bounding tips yet.

Especially Disney Bounding for Star Wars characters. There always seems to be a new character to love as this universe continues to grow.

3. The more you get involved with Bounding, the easier it will be to come up with new ideas!

Bounding, like any hobby we might have, will only become easier to do with more time and practice with putting together outfits! Inspiration will come easier and new outfits can start appearing out of pieces that we have had in our closets for a long time. So now that one t-shirt and colored pair of pants that you have been hesitant on getting rid of can now be used together for a whole new look that your friends or followers will be sure to recognize!

Ahsoka Tano Disney Bounding with lightsaber
Ahsoka Tano Disney Bound

4. It hurts zero people’s wallet to keep clothes you’ve already purchased.

Ok this reason might be Hoarder 101, but inspiration can come whenever. You don’t want to possibly have to buy something to make the perfect Disney Bound when you already had the perfect thing, but you got rid of it. I can’t tell you how many times I said I would only use something I bought once, but easily found other times to wear it. For example, the outfit I used for Ahsoka Tano (striped blue jeans and a neon orange crop top) is something I never thought I would wear for anything else. Rightfully so – it’s a little outrageous! However, one of my followers pointed out that it would also be a perfect outfit for a Lizzie McGuire Bound of Kate or Miranda when they wore the same outfit!

Reusing your clothes is honestly one of the best ways to continue to Disney Bound on a budget.

Miranda and Kate wearing the same outfit in Lizzie McGuire gif
How perfect is it compared to what I was using for Ahsoka Tano?

5. A new relationship is new opportunities for couple Bounds!

Yes, maybe you did a beautiful Ariel Bound, but now you’ve found yourself a Prince Eric and you want him to look the part! Lucky for your guy, Prince Eric is pretty dang easy for a guy that only owns jeans and plain white t-shirts. Add a red accent piece and his outfit is complete. So now you can Bound with him for some cute pictures to show everyone just how handsome and supportive he is of how big your closet is! Don’t get rid of your clothes if there is a significant other or best friend that you could easily Bound with and make some cute as frick content.

6. Mix and match to success!

Woman Disney Bounding as Elsa with Olaf graphic and magic snow
Taking the Bound in a more conceptual manner!

There is nothing better than buying a shirt for one character and a pair of pants for another character and finding that the two together make a completely other character. What’s even better than that is using a piece from your closet that you already had because you thought it was cute and now you can use it for a Bound! That will help reduce the cost of a future Bound if you only need to buy one new piece to complete a look than buy a whole new outfit. Even for this Elsa Bound I did, I have had that sweater for about six years. It only dawned on me to use it for a Bound maybe a week ago. Behind the times? Of course. Totally worked for the post? DUH!

The one exception to these Disney Bounding tips

There is one exception to this rule of not getting rid of things in your closet. When clothes don’t fit. This is the absolute only way my boyfriend will ever get me to get rid of my clothes. Other than that, I just get kind of creative as to where I put my clothes.

If you are indeed running out of closet space, what I do is cycle my clothes in and out based on season. If I have a skirt that is great for a Rapunzel Bound but I can’t wear it during the cold seasons, then I can cycle it out for the season. It doesn’t need to be in my immediate closet! I can easily pack into a box with other spring or summer items, and revisit the box in the next season. Out of sight but never far enough away where you can’t get to it if inspiration strikes!

Any way you slice it, keeping your clothes will only help your wallet! Not to mention it will also help you continue to make amazing outfits that other Disney fans will adore!

Are you looking for some current inspiration to expand your Disney Bounding wardrobe? Check out my 2023 Disney Bounding blog for a list of characters and outfit links.