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There’s nothing quite like an eye-catching piece of jewellery to dress up an outfit, and these 14 more sustainable necklaces by brands doing better for people, the planet, and animals are our current favourites.
Consciously complement
Humans have been adorning themselves in shiny objects since the Stone Age, and while we’ve come a long way since the days of crudely strung together teeth and bones, our love of decorating ourselves has never waned.
Necklaces were one of the first types of jewellery invented. While they’ve gone through various iterations over the centuries, from shells to crosses to precious stones, contemporary styles vary widely to suit every taste or tribute. But much of the jewellery we consume today has fallen into the sticky clutches of fast fashion, often made from unethically sourced, poor-quality metals and plastic.
More sustainable necklaces might incorporate responsible materials like Fairmined Ecological gold, lab-grown or conflict-free diamonds, upcycled rubber, or recycled metals. And while we recommend using what you have before buying new (which includes prolonging the life of any cheap, trendy pieces you’ve collected that are looking a bit worse for wear), if you’re on the market for a new necklace, the following brands are doing it right.
We love the cute take on a classic circle necklace from Automic Gold (US), the elegant body chain for front or back from Natalie Marie Jewellery (AU), and AuTerra’s eye-catching reclaimed e-waste Grassveld pendant (South Africa). Happy decorating.
