There’s something undeniably special about wearing uniquely handcrafted, fair trade jewelry that you can know was made slowly and thoughtfully with care.
And there are certainly plenty of artisan-made jewelry brands in this space! Not all artisan and fair jewelry brands are super fashion-forward, I will admit. But below are 20 ethical jewelry brands with style and heart.
Whether you’re looking for an investment piece or more affordable pieces, there are options for any budget on this list. The aesthetics of these artisan fair trade jewelry brands also vary, so you’ll also be able to discover an ethical brand that matches your unique style.
Note that this guide includes affiliate links and partners. As always, we only feature brands that meet high standards for responsibility we love, and that we think you’ll love too!
1. Nisolo
As a responsible brand, Nisolo is committed to providing fair wages, healthy working environments, and benefits to their employees. Their simple, minimal jewelry is all handcrafted with care by artisans. The brand has also recently joined the Lowest Wage Challenge, publishing their lowest wages to spark more transparency in the supply chain.
2. NAKIIT
As a small, slow-minded jewelry brand, NAKIIT’s founder + owner handcrafts each piece with intention. In fact, every piece of jewelry the brand sells is made by the founder herself!
Nearly all of NAKIIT’s ethically-made jewelry is either made-to-order or one-of-a-kind, ensuring a minimal ecological impact and the highest attention to quality.
As if we could love this brand even more, NAKIIT also sources recycled sterling silver and gold, plus recycles any remaining metal scraps or dust after production.
3. WorldFinds
WorldFinds provides sustainable employment and just wages for hundreds of women artisans in India and Bali. These artisans handcraft both sleek metal fair trade jewelry and unique recycled Kantha pieces.
The fair trade brand is also earth-friendly, upcycling wood scraps from a furniture factory and Kantha fabric remnants to create its exceptional Kantha jewelry collection.
4. Astor + Orion
Remake-approved ethical jewelry brand Astor + Orion sources their jewelry from a factory with multiple certifications ensuring worker safety, fair production practices, and responsible environmental management. Astor + Orion’s stunning jewelry is made from recycled materials and designed in a way to make it easily recyclable! Their pieces also also come with a quality assurance — the brand will repair any piece within 6 months of purchase.
5. Ana Luisa
Ana Luisa creates stunning, elegant jewelry from responsibly-sourced materials including 100% recycled gold and lab-grown diamonds. The sustainable jewelry brand also produces in small batches to minimize waste.
By using a direct-to-consumer model, Ana Luisa is able to provide luxury, high-quality jewelry at accessible prices.
6. Hathorway
Elegantly designed and handcrafted from sustainably-sourced materials like upcycled buffalo horn and natural rattan, Hathorway’s jewelry is both earthy and chic. Hathorway’s jewelry is assembled in California by makers earning fair wages and the women-owned brand gives back 10% of their profits to young underprivileged women.
7. Laura Elizabeth
Crafted from recycled metals sourced locally in LA, Laura Elizabeth creates stand-out sustainable jewelry. All of the brand’s jewelry is sourced ethically from a small, woman-owned studio in Los Angeles that ensures reasonable working hours (35 hr/week), fair wages, and safe working conditions (such as proper ventilation). Check out more on Laura Elizabeth in this post!
8. L.Greenwalt Jewelry
The husband and wife team behind L.Greenwalt Jewelry creates architectural minimalistic jewelry from sustainably and ethically sourced metals, including gold fill that consists of up to 85% recycled gold. Committed to responsible sourcing throughout their supply chain, the castings for L.Greenwalt’s Jewelry are sculpted and cast at a women-owned studio locally in Portland. L.Greenwalt is also a vegan jewelry brand, using only vegan carving wax.
9. 31 Bits
As firm believers in the power of consumers, the founders of 31 Bits set out to bring positive change through bringing these artisans crafts to the global marketplace. The purpose-driven fashion brand not only provides fair wages but also creates a safe, caring atmosphere for these artisans. You can even see photos and stories about the artisans they work with on their website.
10. Abby Alley
Ethical accessories brand Abby Alley partners only with artisan cooperatives in East Africa that ensure safe working conditions and pay fair wages. Abby Alley’s artisan partners earn well above the standard rate for their work plus are provided with additional provisions for healthcare and transportation.
11. Ten Thousand Villages
Founded in 1946, Ten Thousand Villages is one of the fair trade pioneers. They’ve developed relationships with artisans around the world, providing valuable economic opportunities for thousands of makers in 30 countries around the world. Their marketplace has handmade necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings, along with a variety of other fair trade goods.
12. Salt + Still
Salt + Still’s ethical jewelry is responsibly and thoughtfully made in small batches in their own New York State studio from sustainably-sourced materials (the only step that’s completed outside of their studio is their castings, which are done in New York City). The women-owned brand’s timeless jewelry is made using recycled silver, gold fill, and bronze.
13. Accompany
Accompany is a mission-driven fashion marketplace that works with brands that align with one or more of their core values. Their values are Artisan/Handmade, Fair Trade, and/or Humanitarian and Philanthropic Causes. This ethical online market is chock full of unique, one-of-a-kind pieces from around the world!
14. ABLE
ABLE is an ethical fashion brand committed to transparency and empowering women to escape the cycle of poverty. The responsible label also has a platform called acountABLE where customers can access a transparent look at the factories they work with.
15. Edge of Ember
Edge of Ember’s timeless luxury jewelry is responsibly crafted by makers working in artisan groups and small-scale factories. Their delicate necklaces, bracelets, rings, and other pieces are crafted by skilled artisans in India, Hong Kong, Germany, and Thailand. The brand carries out independent social audits to ensure ethical working conditions and environmental responsibility.
16. Laude The Label
Tribe Alive’s sleek, minimalistic pieces are made responsibly by female artisans in Guatemala, Haiti, India, Honduras, and Texas. The fair trade brand works closely with these artisan studios to ensure safe working environments and living wages.
17. Freeleaf
Freeleaf is an ethical accessory and home goods brand that provides fair wages, safe working conditions, holistic care and encouragement for women overcoming abuse. Each piece of fair trade jewelry is uniquely handmade by these women. Their shop includes bracelets, necklaces and earrings in both bright colors and neutrals.
18. Raven + Lily
Raven + Lily is a Fair trade fashion, accessory, and home goods brand employing at-risk women in 10 countries around the world. The ethical fashion brand has a mix of bold and delicate pieces made by artisans in Kenya and India.
19. AUrate
Responsibly-sourced quality jewelry — that’s AUrate’s promise. The jewelry brand’s sleek, timeless pieces are thoughtfully made by seventh-generation craftspeople using 100% recycled gold. The majority of AUrate’s jewelry is made local-to-them in New York City, too, which helps ensure transparency as well as quality.
20. Soko
Soko is an innovative ethical fashion brand using mobile tools to bridge the barriers for artisan entrepreneurs in countries around the globe. With this technology, independent artisans can operate their “virtual factory”. The conscious brand is also fashion-forward with sleek, modern jewelry inspired by tribal designs.
You May Also Want to Check Out:
Best Fair Trade Fashion Brands With Style and Heart
32 Affordable Ethical Fashion Brands
Consciously Curated Marketplaces for One-Stop Ethical Shopping
