Go Greener with your Jewellery

At a time when Vivienne Westwood is urging us to buy fashion items more responsibly in the fight against global warning, we all ought to be thinking of how we how we can take a more ethical and greener approach to buying jewellery. We have therefore come up with the following tips for being more environmentally aware with our purchases of jewellery;

1. Seek out ethical and fair trade designers and brands that use responsibly resourced and recycled materials such as Mirabelle Designer Jewellery (available from Taylor & Vine)

2. Buy a few classic or designer jewellery pieces that will transcend seasons and trends and still look stunning in another ten years time.

3. Some pieces of jewellery never date! For example silver bangles or cuffs, a stunning glittering cocktail ring, hoop or drop earrings, pearl necklaces.

4. Buy jewellery that suits your own personal style and your shape/colouring, rather than what is the latest fashion trend. This way you will avoid impulse buys that you never wear and find you get much more wear out of your jewellery.

5. If you have gold or jewellery items that you no longer wear, why not have them remodelled into a new piece of your own design. Many quality high street jewellers offer this service.

6. Forage through your jewellery box (& your Mums!). Like Fashion, jewellery trends tend to go in cycles. Therefore you may well find old jewellery items that are perfect to complement new fashion looks and trends.

7. Look out for vintage designer jewellery pieces at car boot sales, local markets, in second-hand/charity shops and on e-bay. You are not only helping recycle something, you are investing in a classic piece of fashion history.

These are only a few of the things that we could do to be more environmentally aware when shopping for jewellery, you may think of more. Taking some of these points into account will not have a huge impact on the planet, but every little helps..........