Our Values: Ethics, Sustainability, & Transparency
The practices and footprint of a jewerly business are just as important as the design and craftsmanship. We choose to run our business, create our jewerly, and source our materials with people and the environment in the foreground. First, we do that in house, with our systems, procedures, and choices. Next, we build relationships with ethically empowered suppliers to support sustainable and ethical practices. Finally, we transparently share and deliver that to YOU, our customers, who care about the who-what-where-why-and-how impact, of the products you choose to have in your daily lives.
Our Metals
Each Jen Leddy Studios piece of jewelry is hand-crafted using traditional goldsmithing techniques from 100% SCS certified recycled metals. Almost all of our collection is entirely hand-fabricated directly from metal. In a few select cases, other production methods such as wax carving or CAD design could be used if those best suit the design. Each and every piece is finished by hand, including setting and engraving.
We diligently recycle clean scraps of metal in house by pouring ingots and rolling, drawing, or forging stock and wire into the dimensions we require. That's recycling X2! All other metal scraps and filings, benchsweeps and floorsweeps, are refined through our trusted Green SCS certified refiner.
In addition, through our Custom process when applicable and suitable, we can recycle your customer provided metal for sentimental reasons, or refine it for scrap credit towards your project.
Our Stones
We use recycled, antique, and post-consumer as our primary sources. We LOVE antique and vintage cut stones for multiple reasons: their unique, one-of-a-kind, hand-cut faceting, their history, and their low environmental impact on the earth today.
Our melee (small diamonds under 3mm), is purchased from a supplier who specializes in recycling and recutting, and guarantees a minimum of 80% recycled inventory (the remainder as a necessary influx of newly mined (from trusted and Kimberly Process compliant sources), to ensure a complete and consistent inventory).
Secondarily, we choose Canadian mined, because of their strict and ethically focused regulations. Any other diamonds we select are "conflict-free" based on the stipulations upheld by the Kimberly Process.
Our gemstones are natural and carefully chosen by hand from select vendors who share ethical and transparent business practices (mine-to-market whenever possible).
We also enjoy working with client's heirloom jewelry and stones for re-purposing when applicable and suitable. Contact us for more information about our Custom Process and repurposing.
Our Packaging
We have thoughtfully researched and carefully selected our packaging to meet our sustainable standards. This includes:
~ 100% recycled content and soy-based ink business cards, note cards, and tissue paper
~ zero-waste shipping lables and stickers
~ kraft paper-based pressure sensitive tape
~ ribbon made from 100% recycled plastic bottles
~ recycled box board jewelry boxes; FSC approved & paper covering made from sustainable forests
~ natural pressed felt inserts
~ hand-crafted wooden boxes made from sustainable timbers
Behind the Scenes in our
Studio
We operate a green studio by implementing procedures and following systems that help reduce our waste:
~ we re-use anything we can, including washable hand and studio towels, and boxes and packaging we receive from vendors or customers
~ we recycle
~ we refine all dust, filings, filters, buffs, and floorsweeps to capture all precious metals
~ we employ 2 air ventilation and dust collection systems, at the bench and at the polishing lathe
~ we choose the more environmentally friendly alternatives to standard toxic jewelry studio products, as they are available in our industry:
1) citric acid as a pickle, instead of sodium bisulfate
2) borax cone flux or ceramic nano-coating spray instead of fluoride heavy options
3) bio-degradable ultrasonic solution instead of commercial grade ammonias
We encourage transparency and the sharing of both knowledge and awareness in this venture, helping us and our community do even better! We take pride in the choices we have made in our studio to date, but it is an ever-evolving process and requires a constant drive to learn and embrace impactful change. The jewelry industry as a whole is far from a perfect system or model, but every educated choice we make, helps.
We welcome questions, suggestions, or feedback about sustainability and ethics in our studio and our industry.