At Dorothee Mayer Jewelry it is important for me to uphold sustainably business practices as much as possible. Below you will get an overview on how I incorporate these practices. 

Materials

All chains and findings are 14K gold-filled, an american invention during the big depression of last century. It is still a very economic way of wearing precious, long lasting gold jewelry. Gold-filled jewelry is very durable because of its pressure bonding process and the life span is pretty long if you take good care of your jewelry.

All of the gold-filled materials I use are manufactured in the USA. My two biggest suppliers use mostly (85-99%) recycled gold and both of them are completely solar powered. They have been working on reducing their impact on the environment for many years. 

Another material I use is polymer clay. Polymer clay is composed of polymer polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Although polymer clay is a plastic product it is a super long living material and it is entirely safe from toxins. I hope it will be re-gifted or taken to second-hand stores rather than bringing it to the landfill. I use our polymer clay in the most sustainable manner possible. No clay goes to waste during the process and all scraps are saved to create new colors and designs. 

Packaging

I use packaging that is degradable and/or recyclable where possible. Instead of using clear plastic bags for storage I found glassine bags. Glassine is a smooth and glossy paper that is air, water, and grease resistant. It is made with 100% wood pulp, recyclable and naturally biodegradable.

All display cards are made from paper and the back function as business and care card. The jewelry boxes are made from wheat-color recycled paper that covers the 100% recycled cardboard box and can be reused as well.

All wrap materials that comes with materials and equipment orders are being reused to package your orders. I also use eco-friendly tissue paper that can be reused/repurposed for craft projects or gift wrapping.

The shipping boxes and mailers are out of craft paper and recyclable/reusable. I also use recyclable paper tape which is water activated and printed with soy ink.

If you have any suggestions and recommendations for how I can improve the sustainable practices feel free to connect with me.