Sustainability
When running her small business, Kathryn does her absolute upmost to minimise her impact on our planet and to be as sustainable as possible.
Here are the ways in which she does:
Recycled Silver & Gold.
Kathryn’s jewellery is made from 100% recycled sterling silver and 9ct yellow gold. Using recycled materials means this reduces our carbon footprint. Recycled precious metals are equal in quality to unrecycled precious metals so you still receive high quality pieces and they have a positive impact on the environment.
Handmade by Kathryn
All of Kathryn’s jewellery is handmade by her in small batches. By her doing a lot of the manual tasks such as hammering, filing and saw piercing by hand, this reduces the need for heavy machinery, therefore lowering her business’s impact on the environment.
Packaging
Kathryn has sourced packaging that is completely plastic free meaning it is 100% recyclable. The postal and jewellery boxes are FSC certified and made of 70% recycled content. Her thank you cards and business cards are made of 100% recycled content. Lastly her packaging tape is FSC certified and compostable. It has been printed using soy based inks and so has her stamped logo. Kathryn encourages you to keep your jewellery box to store your jewellery and also her thank you card. She has specifically used one of her drawings so put it on your fridge, wall or even frame it! Everything else can be recycled with ease.
Keeping it local
Kathryn sources everything she needs to run her small business within the UK such as her packaging, tools & materials. She also tries her best to purchase supplies from other locally owned small businesses where possible e.g. her jeweller’s bench was handmade in Ballymoney, where Kathryn lives. All of this is to reduce unnecessary travel miles and green house gases, meanwhile contributing to the local economy.
Waste
Any scrap material is not wasted. Off cuts of silver and gold are collected and recycled. Kathryn has a dust extraction unit in her studio which collects tiny pieces of silver and gold dust in the air, while also providing a cleaner environment to work in. She also collects old files, tools, sanding papers etc which hold tiny pieces of silver and gold within them. All of this is then sent to Presman Mastermelt in Hatton Garden, where the precious metals can be recycled and refined.
Kathryn also melts down scrap silver and gold in her studio, which is then hammered, textured and filed to create new pieces of jewellery such as her North Coast Stud Earrings.
If you have any further suggestions or ways that Kathryn can make her small business kinder to the environment, please get in touch via email.
recycled metals
Kathryn’s jewellery is made from 100% recycled sterling silver and 9ct yellow gold.
handmade to order
Every piece is handmade by Kathryn, once your order is placed.
locally sourced
Everything needed to run her business is all sourced within the UK, including tools, materials & packaging.