A different look than the ring above, but equally as classy. Also 100% recycled gold…14K yellow gold. Nice hammered texture –skinny and sophisticated.
$185.00 at ES Designs’ Etsy Shop

One Carat White Sapphire Hatshepsut with 2 bands of smooth recycled argentium sterling silver at Single B Beautiful’s Etsy Shop

Solitaire Sterling Silver Band or Engagement Ring from Sucree’s Etsy Shop

This is a sold as a men’s ring from recycled 18K gold and conflct-free gemstones. Following a trend of many indie designers who making beautiful new jewelry pieces specifically for those of us who prefer work made from recycled metals. This piece will be a stunning one-of-a-kind find. In addition to eco-friendly materials, this designer, Fernando, from Brooklyn New York prides himself on creating work where traditional elegance meets the unexpected bringing together old-world, high-quality craftsmanship, with modern colors, angles and shapes.
$1250.00 at Etsy

Would you want the diamond on your finger to get there by way of torture or rape? It sounds dramatic, but if you don’t inquire about the source of the diamonds at your jeweler, you will never know! If your diamond comes from Zimbabwe or Congo it may support war and human rights abuses. Many miners have been killed by the Zimbabwean military which in 2008 seized valuable diamond fields in the country’s Marange district. Human Rights Watch has documented mass murders, forced labor
of both adults and children, torture, beatings, and other human rights violations by the
Zimbabwean military.

Fair Trade Diamonds

Fair trade diamonds, much like fair trade coffee and chocolate ensures that diamond diggers attain a fair price for their labor, safe working conditions, clean water, and basic health care. Fair trade diamond certification is still in its infancy but worth asking about at your local jeweler. One such project is Pride Diamonds from Sierra Leone.

Canadian Diamonds

Canadian diamonds are mined according to Canada’s strict environmental laws – which are among the most rigorous in the world. These high standards protect caribou and other wildlife, water, and fish habitats. This is the solid choice if you want to wear a diamond and you want it to come from a conflict-free zone.

Namibian Diamonds

Namibian diamonds are mined according to strict international ecological standards. On-shore mining areas are carefully rehabilitated through re-vegetation or repurposing of mining infrastructure. The Coastal Monitoring Program closely monitors marine mining operations to ensure that environmental impacts are mitigated. This still seems to be somewhat of a slippery slope since many of the large diamond companies like DeBeer’s have large influence here.

This is going to be on your finger for the next 30 – 60 YEARS!! ….and I’m going to try to help you pick the right ring.  There is something beautifully symbolic about the tradition of exchanging rings to symbolize a long-lasting commitment to your partner.  Whether you go for ultra-traditional or opt for a beer can tab, the story is the same. For some, engagement and wedding rings are a status symbol, but for an environmentalist, eco-friendly wedding rings can show commitment to sustainability, protection of the environment, fair trade and conservation of the earth’s resources. The ring you choose for yourself and your fiance says a lot about you.

For both women and men’s rings, recycled metals are where it’s at.  The pollution generated from mining gold and silver can be avoided if you go the recycled route.  If you desire a stone, conflict free diamonds are a must  (available from Canada) and there are many gemstones out there that are just as beautiful and not as tainted. Cultured diamonds and gemstones are the most ecologically friendly gems, since they are not mined out of the earth, but grown in a lab. And don’t forget buying your ring used! …estate jewelry can be an amazing eco-friendly alternative.

Examples of beautiful eco-friendly wedding rings:

From Kristin Coffin’s Etsy Shop:

Recycled gold and conflict free diamonds.

From Bloom Studios’s Etsy Shop:

Recycled gold and conflict free diamonds.

From single B beautiful’s Etsy Shop:

Recycled metals and conflict free diamonds.

Recycled gold or recycled platinum with a lab created diamond

Conflict free diamonds