Green Karat

Some of Green Karat’s designs

We know diamonds are not a girl’s best friend and we’ve seen environmentally friendly jewelry, like Kiersten Muenster’s , and Gwen Davis’ gorgeous creations. But what if you’re looking for something with more traditional style? Green Karat’s recycled gold jewelry looks the same as non-recycled rings and earrings, but bypasses the need for poisonous mines and toxic refining practices typical of traditional gold extraction.

Gold mining not only involves ripping into the Earth and displacing millions of pounds of earth (see image below) but multinational mining corporations have polluted local environments both in the United States and internationally with cyanide, mercury and other toxic chemicals (called mine ‘tailings’). I’ve seen some of this destruction first hand when I was a geology student in Montana, and I wish I still had my photos of yellow rivers running from mines into clear mountain streams. Yes, this kind of pollution still goes on, and what’s more, it’s allowed.

This is what a gold mine looks like. Image by Ashley Gilbertson for the New York Times.

Gold is both versatile and malleable, so Green Karat is able to form entirely unique pieces of jewelry from gold that has been melted down from older pieces. They estimate that “there is enough gold above ground (already mined) to satisfy all demands of the jewelry industry for the next 50 years. Much of it sits in bank vaults and in the form of old and unused jewelry”. Green Karat not only provides standards for each piece of jewelry available, but they operate under a philosophy that supports fair trade and ecological (artisanal) mining practices. Most importantly, they have awesome rings, bracelets and necklaces, and they can custom make just about any design you want. They specialize in creating commitment and wedding bands and will work with customers to design unique pieces.

corporations, design, eating, Eco-Chick, Fair Trade, Home, Jewelry, local, local environment, necklaces, New York Times, Pollution, recycle, recycled, style, wedding

Starre Vartan is the founder and editor-in-chief of Eco-Chick and author of The Eco-Chick Guide to Life (St. Martin's Press). A problogger and oft-quoted green living expert who has been featured in the NYTimes, Elle, Glamour and Whole Living, she is a contributor to The Huffington Post, Inhabitat, and Hearst's The Daily Green, and is currently editor-at-large for Coco Eco Magazine. An active ecofashionista, she has style edited for Plenty magazine and coordinated runway shows. She splits her time between Connecticut and NYC and calls Sydney, Australia her second home, even though it was her first (as that's where she was born and most of her family resides). When not writing, blogging, or researching her next book, she is trailrunning, trying to cook, or snowboarding.

3 Comments on “Green Karat”

Eco-Chick » Blog Archive » Portovert Debuts

[...] 5. If you are going to get a diamond ring and gold or platinum band, look for certified non-conflict gems (ask the jeweler to see the paperwork, they’re obliged to show them to you) and recycled metals, or better yet, go vintage! (For Eco Chick’s coverage of diamonds, click here and here.) [...]

01/22/07 » 12:46 pm »
Marc Choyt

I would like to point out that Torry Hoover, of Hoover and Strong is not supplying gold and platinum that is 100% recycled. There are a number of manufacturers that are passionate about these issues. I’ve created a website that allows people to access a network of them and to find out the latest of what is going on in the movement toward fair trade, ecologically responsible jewelry. http://www.fairjewelry.org is not a product website, but a place that will help generate momentum for this to happen. Cheers.

06/07/07 » 4:22 pm »
Marc Cho0yt

I MADE A MISTAKE ON THE LAST ENTRY: HOOVER AND STRONG IS NOW (not NOT) supplying these recylced metals. SORRY. Marc

06/18/07 » 10:19 am »