NES Group: A Leader Among
Sustainable Jewelry
Manufacturers
Our parent company has been one of the best ethical jewelry brands for
more than 14 years. While NES Group is not an upcycled jewelry company,
we have consistently practiced an eco-neutral business model that has
solidified us as a leader among sustainable jewelry brands.
Disrupting the
Cycle of Fast
Fashion
Disrupting the Cycle of Fast Fashion
The fast fashion industry is a major contributor to pollution
and unnecessary waste. Because fast jewelry pieces are
lower in quality, they don’t last long, and they will quickly
wind up in a landfill because they are treated as disposable.
Fast fashion encourages consumers to purchase cheap pieces
of jewelry and discard them when the pieces inevitably break
or the buyer loses interest. We strive to disrupt this cycle by
upcycling jewelry to promote more sustainable buying
practices and limit the amount of low-quality products that
are sold and quickly discarded.
Reducing
Unnecessary Waste
Demi-fine jewelry is of a much higher quality than typical
costume or other mass-produced jewelry, and by
upcycling intact pieces rather than disposing of them when we can
easily reduce the amount of waste we produce.
Limiting Our
Carbon Footprint
Among other practices, upcycling jewelry is one way we seek
to limit our carbon footprint and make a positive impact on
our environment. Rather than only creating new jewelry and
trashing older, unsold pieces, we can upcycle jewelry
instead, giving new life to pieces that have plenty of value
without wasting resources or sending products to landfills.
Keep Quality
Products Out of
Landfills
Too often, manufacturers send pieces of jewelry to landfills
simply because they didn’t sell. These pieces are often high-
quality and have nothing wrong with them, but the fast
fashion industry expects manufacturers to keep up with trends
and demands. Rather than following this belief, we are
determined to keep quality, intact products out of landfills
and instead put them into the hands of conscious consumers
who will love them.
Adopt and Uphold
Eco-Friendly
Initiatives
In addition to manufacturing jewelry from recycled materials,
we uphold numerous eco-friendly initiatives to do our part in
combating the environmental impact of fast fashion and the
jewelry industry. For more than 14 years, NES Group has also
committed to using ethically-sourced stones as well as
reusable or repurposed packaging materials.
Reject Wasteful
Practices by Using
Recycled Materials
The entire principle of upcycled entails repurposing quality
materials and giving them new life. When we design and
manufacture new products, we do so with recycled metal
jewelry materials, cutting back on waste and reducing
the environmental impact of our jewelry production, which can
be
astronomical when mining and refining new materials.
We also use recycled and reusable materials in our
packaging to ensure sustainability flows through our entire
process.
Upcycled /
Recycled Jewelry FAQ
What jewelry is eco-friendly?
Eco-friendly jewelry can come in many forms. Jewelry made from recycled materials, as well as repurposed or upcycled jewelry, are often considered to be eco-friendly.
What is sustainable jewelry?
Sustainability in the jewelry industry typically refers to transparency, ethical sourcing of materials, use of sustainable materials, and environmentally-conscious manufacturing processes. As such, sustainable jewelry is created with these practices in place.
What is repurposed jewelry?
Repurposed jewelry refers to earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and other pieces of jewelry that have been given new life, either through recycling their materials or altering the pieces for resale.
What does it mean to be a conscious consumer?
Conscious consumers are driven by their dedication to make a social, environmental, or economic impact with their purchases. When it comes to buying jewelry, conscious consumers are more likely to seek sustainable and ethical options.
How does fast fashion hurt the environment?
The fast fashion industry is a major source of pollution, carbon emissions, and waste. While
fast fashion makes cheaper clothing and jewelry, the environmental impact – including the
contribution of
10% of humanity’s carbon emissions
and excessive water consumption
– makes the industry unsustainable and detrimental to the welfare of the planet and its populations.
Fast fashion also requires massive energy consumption for processes like textile creation, and the
rapid, mass production of goods has repeatedly been tied to forced labor and child labor in countries
such as Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Turkey, and Vietnam.
How do you buy jewelry ethically?
Ethically-sourced jewelry typically extends beyond environmental concerns and also accounts for humanitarian ideals. If you are looking to buy ethical jewelry, you need to identify jewelry brands that comply with recognized labor standards, with the most common standard being International Labor Organization (ILO) conventions.
In order to achieve compliance, jewelry manufacturers must not use materials or processes that use child labor or forced labor. Additionally, work conditions must not pose adverse health or safety concerns.
What is the difference between upcycled, recycled, and downcycled jewelry?
All of these types of jewelry entail the sustainable repurposing of pieces or their components, but they do have some notable differences relating to value. Recycling simply means reusing something that has already been used without alteration. When it comes to jewelry, buying pre-owned pieces can count as recycling!
Upcycling typically involves taking something and adding value to it, either by altering the piece or extending its life cycle. Creating a new piece of jewelry from the materials of another piece or salvaging a discarded piece of jewelry to wear or gift is a great way to upcycle materials. The upcycling process is a great way to conserve energy, limit waste, and prolong the life of jewelry.
On the other hand, downcycling is a similar process to that of upcycling, but in transforming an existing piece, downcycling entails taking existing products or materials and making them into something unnecessary or less valuable. This practice is a good way to reduce unnecessary waste when the products or materials have low values or limited life spans.
How can you get rid of jewelry in a sustainable way?
Don’t just throw away your old jewelry! There are plenty of sustainable alternatives when it comes to getting rid of pieces you don’t wear anymore, including:
• Giving them to a friend
• Donating them
• Selling them online
• Selling them to a jewelry store
• Selling them to a jewelry manufacturer that uses recycled materials
• Upcycling them into something you want to wear, gift, or sell
Reclaimed With Love: A Monthly
Subscription of Upcycled, Demi-Fine
Jewelry Delivered to Your Door
We’ll hand-pick jewelry for you every month so you can add beautiful, guilt-free
pieces to your collection.