For consumers For business
17 Aug

How Ethical Is Mejuri?

Our editors curate highly rated brands that are first assessed by our rigorous ratings system. Buying through our links may earn us a commission—supporting the work we do. Learn more.

 

Canadian jewellery brand Mejuri has amassed a strong community of loyal customers, thanks to its delicate fine jewellery for everyday wear. But how ethical is Mejuri, really? Read the article to find out why we rate Mejuri “Not Good Enough”. This article is based on the Mejuri rating published in July 2022.

All that glitters is not green

Launched in 2015 by Noura Sakkijha, Canadian jewellery brand Mejuri has since built a strong community of raving fans. And it’s easy to understand why: the brand creates delicate, high-quality, and fairly priced fine jewellery for everyday wear. What’s not to like?

Mejuri says it “aims to mitigate [its] impact on the environment, support and empower [its] partners, and give back to [its] communities”, so we wanted to scratch the surface a little to find out how exactly the brand is impacting people, the planet, and animals.

The question is simple: how ethical is Mejuri? Let’s find out.

Environmental impact

Mejuri rates “It’s a Start” for its impact on the planet. The brand uses a medium proportion of eco-friendly materials, including recycled materials like gold (Mejuri says 80% of its gold comes from recycled sources). This helps limit the amount of chemicals, water, and wastewater the brand uses in production, which is a good step.

However, we found no evidence Mejuri minimises packaging or waste when manufacturing its products.

Labour conditions

On the labour front, Mejuri rates “Not Good Enough”. The brand states it wants to “​​support and empower [its] partners, and give back to [its] communities”, which sounds great, but sadly we found little evidence to support this claim.

For example, Mejuri states it has a Code of Conduct but doesn’t publicly share it. We also found no evidence it investigates and reports on safety incidents or that Mejuri ensures payment of a living wage in its supply chain.

Taking care of one’s community and setting up a fund to support women with the tools they need to empower themselves is fantastic. Still, we’re worried about workers in Mejuri’s supply chain who might not be treated and paid fairly for their hard work.

Animal welfare

Mejuri makes products that are generally free of animal materials, so we didn’t rate the brand on its impact on animals.

Overall rating: Not Good Enough

Based on our research and calculations from Mejuri’s environment and labour scores only, we rate the Canadian brand “Not Good Enough” overall.

Mejuri says it’s committed to traceability and transparency, so we’d like to see it walk the talk and provide more evidence to show it’s actively working towards having a more positive impact on people, the planet, and animals. Mejuri also needs to reduce waste throughout its supply chain. More importantly, if Mejuri truly wants to support others, it needs to ensure its employees are working in safe conditions and are paid a living wage.

Note that Good On You ratings consider hundreds of issues, and it is not possible to list every relevant issue in a summary of the brand’s performance. For more information, see our How We Rate page and our FAQs.

See the rating.

Good swaps

“Good” and “Great” alternatives to Mejuri

ARTICLE22

Rated: Good

Every piece of ARTICLE22 jewellery is locally handcrafted in Laos using recycled materials from Vietnam War bombs, plane parts, military hardware, and other aluminium scraps. The brand embodies the innovation that the fashion industry needs more of—using recycled materials to produce beautiful globally marketable products, while equipping local artisans with new skill sets and providing them with a sustainable source of income. ARTICLE22 gives back to clear more unexploded bombs in Laos, supports traditional artisans, and donates a proportion of profit to community development for workers.

The range is available in sizes S-XL.

See the rating.

Shop ARTICLE22.

John Hardy

Rated: Good

John Hardy is a US-based brand that creates dramatic and inspiring jewellery collections. John Hardy’s artisan collective was founded in 1975 with a dedication to handcrafted jewellery, inspired by Bali and its time-honoured jewellery-making traditions.

See the rating.

Shop John Hardy.

AGMES

Rated: Good
Ethical gold rings by AGMES

AGMES is a modern jewellery line from the US, inspired by urban landscapes, architecture, and modern art. Its pieces are handmade in New York from lower-impact materials, including recycled metals.

See the rating.

Shop AGMES.

Automic Gold

Rated: Great
Sustainable gold bracelet by Automic Gold

Queer-owned Automic Gold is setting new standards for more ethical and sustainable jewellery. The brand's minimalist designs are made from reclaimed materials and are described as "radically wearable jewellery".

See the rating.

Shop Automic Gold.

Raven + Lily

Rated: Good
woman lying on bed wearing Raven + Lily jewellery and homewares

Raven + Lily supports local female artisans to create handmade jewellery, bags, and homewares. This US brand's products are responsibly-made and empower communities through fair wages, healthcare, and education.

See the rating.

Shop Raven + Lily.

Shop Raven + Lily @ Cerqular.

FUTURA Jewelry

Rated: Great

Offers

model with gold jewellery

FUTURA Jewelry – Site-wide

18k fairmined ecological gold jewellery handcrafted in NYC. Exclusive 20% off with code 20FUTURAHOLIDAY (Ends: 6 DEC)

Checkout code: 20FUTURAHOLIDAY
Shop now

FUTURA Jewelry is a New York based responsible jewellery brand. Each piece of FUTURA Jewelry is handcrafted with mercury-free 18kt Certified Fairmined Ecological gold. The brand's gold comes from the three certified Fairmined mines in the world that mine for gold without the use of toxic chemicals including mercury and cyanide.

See the rating.

Shop FUTURA Jewelry.

Melissa Joy Manning

Rated: Good

Luxury handmade jewellery from designer Melissa Joy Manning. The stunning pieces are crafted locally from recycled silver and gold sourced from a Green Certified refinery. The brand’s artisans design jewellery to be treasured and to last, redefining what "precious" means by creating pieces that are unique to the wearer, instead of contributing to a culture of disposable fashion.

See the rating.

Shop Melissa Joy Manning.

Bario Neal

Rated: Great

Bario Neal is a custom jewellery designer that creates handmade rings and fine jewellery with conflict-free diamonds and other gemstones. The brand uses lower-impact materials, including reclaimed precious metals, Fairmined gold, and more ethically sourced stones to bring to life each of its uniquely designed pieces.

Discover more sustainable jewellery brands

Editor's note

Feature image via Unsplash, all other images via brands mentioned. Good On You publishes the world’s most comprehensive ratings of fashion brands’ impact on people, the planet, and animals. Use our directory to search thousands of rated brands.

Ethical brand ratings. There’s an app for that.

Wear the change you want to see. Download our app to discover ethical brands and see how your favourites measure up.