The Green Transition of the Jewellery Industry Begins with Technology
Posted on November 18 2025
Can a piece of jewellery be ethical, environmentally responsible, reasonably priced, and crafted with enough quality to last for generations? This is a question I first asked myself more than ten years ago — and, truthfully, still ask today, because at times the ideal feels almost like a wishful dream.
The short answer is yes, if we choose to create and demand it. Of course, no long-established brand can transform its processes overnight, but when responsible production is a priority from day one, it becomes entirely achievable. At the heart of a sustainable jewellery brand lies a commitment to thoughtful design and to pieces that are durable, comfortable, and lightweight. The role of a jewellery designer is not merely to create a beautiful object, but to consider how that piece can carry value for years — even generations. Like a mother’s necklace or a pair of earrings that gradually become personal heirlooms and part of our identity.
“Too much, too fast has led to overproduction in the jewellery world”
In today’s world, where technology evolves at an extraordinary pace, cheap and poor-quality jewellery reaches the market more easily than ever, further fuelling the issue of overconsumption. Millions of pieces are produced every year, yet many are worn only briefly — until the next trend arrives. Seasonal fashions, inexpensive materials, and mass manufacturing distort our understanding of what jewellery is truly worth.
Consumers have become accustomed to a constant craving for novelty, which in turn feeds overproduction, even though most jewellery could last — and bring joy — far longer. At the same time, every new product requires resources: mining, energy, transportation, and more. Each step leaves an environmental footprint that could be significantly reduced through smarter production. The current system simply doesn’t work: jewellery is produced in excess, too quickly, and far too often at very low quality.
3D Printing is a Possible Solution
As a counterbalance to overproduction, modern 3D printing technology offers a way to produce fine jewellery exactly in the quantities needed — without waste. It also enables smarter, more personalised, and more distinctive design, opening the door to forms of jewellery that are impossible to create using traditional methods. While conventional production tends to generate waste and consume unnecessary resources, 3D printing introduces an entirely new approach to crafting luxury pieces — innovative, demand-driven, and responsible.
This is why I turned to this technology and to recycled precious metals — believing that the future of luxury jewellery lies in pieces that are ethical, durable, and capable of carrying value across generations, uniting beauty, innovation, and awareness into a coherent whole, and justifying every investment made in a jewellery piece.
“Intelligent design is responsible design”
3D printing enables more efficient use of resources and reduces environmental impact compared with traditional mass production. For example, at KiRiVOO we use industrial SLM printers and 100% recycled sterling silver. Instead of melting new metal, the process transforms recycled powder into detailed, unique jewellery, printed layer by layer. Nearly all leftover material is returned to circulation, chemically intensive treatments become unnecessary, and the result is high-quality precious jewellery with a footprint up to 80% smaller.
The combination of 3D printing and recycled precious metals reduces the need for mining, lowers overall resource consumption, and supports a circular economy — creating beautiful, durable, and ethically produced pieces that wearers can truly feel proud of.
The convergence of these technologies offers an opportunity to move the jewellery industry toward a future that values quality, longevity, and ethics equally. While technology alone cannot solve every issue, it demonstrates that the production of luxury jewellery no longer needs to be excessively resource-heavy or harmful to the environment. It invites us to rethink how the industry can become cleaner — because jewellery should create value, not waste, and it should endure far longer than fleeting trends.
Written by Ines Karu-Salo, Founder & Creative Director at KiRiVOO
You’re welcome to get in touch if you’ve any questions, feedback to share or are interested in producing your own responsibly made jewellery in partnership with our design and manufacturing professionals.
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