A while ago I was looking through the journals in our campus library, I came across a really interesting article in the Metal Smith, the 7pg article is all about manufacturing “green” jewellery. Anyways I photocopied the article and put it in my file along with all the other things I find interesting, and then forgot about it (as I tend to do).
Happy days…. It’s been recovered!
There is an irony here in that I aim to produce sustainable jewellery, yet jewellery as an art form is hugely expensive to the earth. According to The Environmental Protection Agency’s most recent Toxic Release inventory “metal mining is the worst polluting industry in the U.S , accounting for 34% of all waste disposal.” Im sure this is similarly true for South Africa.
In between manufacturing plenty of orders (not complaining) and trying to squeeze in hand-ins for my lecturer, I’ve been looking for basic ways (within my means) to head towards making sustainable jewellery (I aim towards one day being as fully eco as I can possibly be in a jewellery workshop). By sustainable I mean being environmentally friendly and eco conscious in my jewellery and life practice.
“The most important characteristic of green jewellery today is ethical material sourcing, and all sourcing issues stem from one central issue: extraction.”
I have conquered the first step (extraction-metal sourcing)!!! There are two ways to go about it.
1. Primary refining
First time metal extracted from the earth (this can be environmentally devastating). But is possible to do in an ethical “sustainable” manner.
2. Secondary refining
Metal is sourced from an already existing product (recycling the metal).
This process uses less resources, chemicals, and energy.
One-fifth of silver used each yr, worldwide goes into X-ray film. I am currently buying my silver from a secondary refiner (Virgo Metals Durban). This silver is being extracted from X-rays (will expand on the process another time).
So from here I move to the next step… Acids, I aim to use none, and need to find eco alternatives.
