Efforts towards sustainability

I use .925 sterling silver for all of my pieces, purchased from Rio Grande, and I save and reuse all of my silver scraps! When I’m ready to make some new jewelry with the leftover pieces, I melt them down with my torch, hammer them out, and make them into something new that can be worn and used for years.

I only use 100% natural silk thread for each piece, purchased from Griffin, and the gemstones I use are ethically sourced from different online shops. Any scraps of thread that can’t be used are saved and will be put towards other projects.

All pieces are printed on high quality bamboo paper and printed with a soy-based ink. Soy based inks make it easier for paper to be recycled once their cycle is over, not that I want my work to be discarded, but it’s important to think about what will happen once something has run its course.

Any paper that comes through my studio, either from personal use or business, that can be shredded and made into new paper I will reuse and make my own business cards, earring backing cards, or use in product packaging! The water used in making the paper is evaporated and any paper pulp leftover is saved and used again.

I save all pieces of clay that weren’t able to be used if they dried out and when I have enough to make new clay, I rehydrate it and work it into new clay forms. Any pieces that have been fired but don’t turn out or break in the firing process are saved and once I find a use for them, will be made into something else! Although the glazes themselves aren’t eco-friendly as it takes a while for the clay to break down with glaze on it, I only buy glazes that are non-toxic, so harmful chemicals don’t get released. Proper disposal and collection of unused or fired glaze drops are what I do to prevent glazes from entering our environment by properly disposing of the material. The pieces I create are high quality and made to be loved and to last a lifetime and more. When I fire my kiln, I also make sure to fill it up as much as I can to utilize the space & in turn getting the most out of  the energy the kiln gives off.

Although my stickers are made from a vinyl material, they are printed  by a small business in Portland Oregon. 10% of each sticker sold gets donated to different non-profits as well! Because they are made with a waterproof vinyl material, they are very durable and will stay with you for a long time, wherever you decide to place them.