The ultimate guide to sustainable jewelry

The Ultimate Guide to Sustainable Jewelry

Leave a comment

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

1 Comment

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?

The 9 Pillars to Be More Eco Friendly in 2023

3 Comments

Is it really that hard to be more eco-friendly? No it’s not. Simple switches that really will not add any extra labor on your part can make all the difference. And what better time to start than in April. Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22nd to raise awareness about environmental issues and inspire people to take action to protect our planet. But good for you for doing some research regardless of the month!

Remember, this doesn’t have to be a super-self-serious effort. Don’t get me wrong, this topic is essential and important. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy learning these new skills or have fun getting involved with nature as you pursue this new norm. As this article by Anne and Carl Deane shows, even essential topics like land conservation can be a wonderful and nourishing effort to focus on.

Here are some sustainability tips that you can implement in your daily life to contribute to a greener world:

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

The three R’s? For being more eco-friendly? Groundbreaking. We all learned this in second grade so there’s nothing new here. Bring your own reusable bag for grocery shopping, recycle your soda can, and don’t leave the water running while brushing your teeth. Simple.

Bamboo-made products are very eco-friendly
Switch to bamboo-product alternatives

Switch to Bamboo Products

There are a variety of eco-friendly products available that can replace traditional, less sustainable products. For example, you can switch to bamboo products, like bamboo toothbrushes, utensils, or even clothes as they are biodegradable and compostable. Bamboo is also the most renewable resource in the world! This means it is also a great wood and paper alternative. Consider switching to bamboo paper towels, bamboo toilet paper, and the next time you update the floors in your house, use engineered bamboo hardwood! This ensures that those trees that took decades to grow can keep growing.

Save Energy with OhmConnect

One of the easiest ways to save energy is to turn off lights, electronics, and appliances when they are not in use. Consider using energy-efficient light bulbs, and set your thermostat to conserve energy. But isn’t it more fun when you get rewarded for doing these things? Connect your utility bill to OhmConnect and cash out your energy saving ways to PayPal or to other gift cards! This is only for eligible California utilities (PG&E, SCE, SDG&E), New York Con Edison customers, and friends in Texas who can choose their own electricity provider.

Conserve Water

You can conserve water by taking shorter showers, fixing leaky faucets, and using water-efficient appliances. And if you have house plants, collect your shower water in a bucket while it’s heating up and use it to water your plants.

Plant Indigenous Plants in Your Yard

Planting trees is a great way to give back to the environment. But even more so is planting plants that are specific to your area’s habitat! Every part of the world has its own little biodiverse environment. Making your front and back yard a continuation of the environment is a great way to offset the urbanization of your city.

Fair trade shade grown coffee plant. It is a great way to be more eco friendly in 2023
Shade-grown coffee

Drink Fair Trade Shade-Grown Coffee

Fair trade practices promote sustainable farming methods that minimize harm to the environment. Additionally, fair trade coffee is typically shade-grown, which helps to protect and preserve natural habitats and biodiversity. This is because instead of cutting down the forest to make coffee fields, these fields are made without cutting the trees down. Hence why it’s called “shade-grown”. And since shade-grown coffee usually takes longer to grow since it isn’t in direct sunlight, it actually produces a richer, more flavorful bean! Meaning your morning cup of joe is even that much better.

Support Sustainable Businesses

Look for companies that prioritize sustainability and environmental responsibility. These businesses often use eco-friendly materials, reduce waste, and minimize their carbon footprint. Companies like Eminence for skin care, SunBum for sun care, and EcoRoots for home and bath products are just a few.

Reduce Meat Consumption

The production of meat is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Consider reducing your meat consumption or trying plant-based alternatives.

Switch to Reef-Friendly Sunscreen

That’s right – it’s not just about keeping the land critters happy, but the ocean’s as well. Hawaii has some of the strictest laws when it comes to sunscreen sales. As of January 2021, they have banned the sales of sunscreen containing Oxybenzone and Octinoxate. This is a great step to ensuring sunscreen brands start gravitating towards more “reef friendly” materials. SunBum is definitely the brand that is leading this charge! Read more about what they are doing to protect the reefs with their sunscreen.

These are just a few of the many things you can do to be more eco-friendly in your daily life. By making small changes and being mindful of our impact on the environment, we can all contribute to a more sustainable future.

A complete capsule wardrobe for 2023

A Complete Capsule Wardrobe for 2023

2 Comments

Fashion is ever-changing. But capsule wardrobes aren’t! You may have heard of a “capsule wardrobe” also referred to as “closet staples.” They are pieces of clothing that will transcend fast fashion and will be a part of your wardrobe for years. As such, the pieces that you select need to be high quality to ensure a long lifetime. Here are some recommendations to ensure a high quality capsule wardrobe in 2023!

Capsule Wardrobe 2023

The key to a completely well rounded closet is to pick colors and styles that do not go out of style. Most generic colors will suffice as a staple color. It’s more of the more specific colors like neon yellow, hot pink, mint, lilac, etc that are not considered capsule wardrobe colors. These kinds of colors move with seasons and with current fashion trends. Whereas colors like black, white, royal blue, deep red, tan, etc are solid choices no matter what year or season.

As for styles, you’ll want a long coat, a blouse, regular tee, a pair of jeans, a sweater, and a cardigan. Essentially, you just need one of each more popular type of clothing. Remember, these things will be with you for years. That being said, the only way to ensure that they stand the test of time is to purchase high quality or luxury pieces.

Where to Get Closet Staple Clothing

A brand that focuses exclusively on offering high quality, closet staple pieces is FibFlx. It stands for “fiber (premium fibers only) + flexible (staying resilient in chaotic times)”. Their clothing brand was created to simply life and focus on what’s really important – making simplicity through versatility. Fibflx is literally helping you pick a capsule wardrobe closet instead of following quickly fading fashion trends.

These are my favorites from their site:

Draped Open Front Cardigan
Button Down Shirt in Silk and Linen Blend
Brown Striped Sweater in Mohair Blend
Cable Knit Half Zip Sweater for capsule wardrobe
Cable Knit Half Zip Sweater
Double Face Wool Coat for capsule wardrobe
Double Face Wool Coat
Machine Washable Silk Shirt for capsule wardrobe
Machine Washable Silk Shirt

Everything on their site is made through sustainable practices. And their high quality products make it easy to understand their price point. Their highest prices are for their long jackets and you can expect to pay around $330 for those. However, they average about $100 per piece for most of their catalog. Obviously, that is a very large commitment to just one piece of clothing! But if you keep it for five years, that’s an average of $20 a year. Which, if you buy a low quality product, could very well cost you $20 per year to keep replacing it. Buying a high quality piece of clothing once is much more logical than buying a lower quality with a lower life rate.

Fibflx Coupon Code

For an extra special bonus, I have a Fibflx coupon code for you! Use the code DGB15 for 15% off. Use the savings to keep updating your closet until you have your very own complete capsule wardrobe! You can find this, and other popular coupon codes, on my Sales and Coupon Codes page.

Fibflx sponsored this blog.

Honest Rest Duvet reviews

HONEST Rest Duvet Reviews

3 Comments

One of the hottest trending brands in the bedding game is Rest Duvet. You may know them for their extremely popular cooling comforter, the Evercool. Since they are a brand new business, it could be difficult to find Rest Duvet reviews. Lucky enough, I have some of the most important reviews for Rest Duvet, including an Evercool review!

Pro tip: Use the coupon code DGB5 for 30% off on Rest Duvet. This is an affiliate code that will allow me to make a small commission from the sale.

Links on this page lead to RestDuvet.com via my affiliate links.

Rest Duvet Evercool Review

Evercool Cooling Comforter Review

★★★★★

If I’m being honest, this actually deserves 10 stars. My husband is an incredibly hot furnace to sleep next to. Worse than that is that he loves to cuddle. The only Evercool review that you will ever need is what I’m about to say next. Having the King sized Evercool made it so I wasn’t sleeping next to someone’s lava skin. AND it allowed us to keep our condo at 76 degrees at night. If you’re shocked at how “hot” that seems, just remember.. that means this cooling comforter works THAT well. See it on their website here.

Vegan Duvet Review

★★★★☆

I love that this duvet is eco-friendly! Made of corn? Love that. I got the All-Season option as that was the best for my needs living in San Diego. For our winter chills, this was perfect in helping us to keep the heater on a lower setting. It feels soft, yet it also feels a little “dry”. Because of that, it does have a little crinkling sound to it. The material has also never been able to de-wrinkle on its own. I’d love to stick it in the dryer to de-wrinkle it, but it’s too big for our tiny little condo dryer. *UPDATE*: This item is no longer available.

Rest Duvet reviews of their performance sheet set

Performance Sheet Set Review

★★★☆☆

This SHOULD be a five. And for a lot of reasons it is. For example, I love that they were cooling sheets. This could be great if you like sleeping with just a sheet, or you just want silky soft sheets during winter. Not to mention, I accidentally ordered a King size sheet set and not a California King. Thankfully they are stretchy so they ended up fitting!

But one BIG thing that was a constant thorn in my side with this sheet set was how slippery they were. Trying to make the bed with sheets that slid across one another made it pretty hard to do. Even with a duvet on top of it, my husband and I would always find the sheet to slip or to cause the duvet to start sliding off in the middle of the night. So it SHOULD be five, but it just missed the mark. It’s just a tad infuriating. I recommend only using the fitted sheet, and not the fitted sheet with the top sheet to avoid this slipping. See it on their website here.

Concluding Rest Duvet reviews

Hopefully these Rest Duvet reviews can help you make an educated decision. I personally am I big fan of their products because they are effective. Not to mention the Evercool and the performance sheet set are just THAT cool to the touch. If you do decide to purchase, I highly recommend using my affiliate link as it will give you the best verified discount of 30% off.

Need a Rest Duvet coupon code? Get 30% off right now just for being a Donna Gail Blog reader. And yes this will beat ANY sale that they run guaranteed. Discount will be automatically applied at checkout.

And if you want to read a more in-depth review of Rest Duvet’s Evercool cooling comforter, just click the link!