Sustainability
Better By Design
When it comes to wearing your values, our sustainable jewelry is the ultimate fashion statement.
Since our debut in 1981, we have actively sought out and incorporated sustainable and ethical practices that promote environmental safety, fair trade, and fair mining.
What if your jewelry could tell a story of sustainability as well as beauty?
That's the creative magic Holly Yashi conjures with our handcrafted wearable art. From concept to completion, every aspect of our jewelry design process is intended to minimize impact on the environment and those involved in the making.
We are painfully aware that the jewelry industry at large is notorious for its negative impact on the environment and human rights.
Which is why even from our earliest days we recognized the need for continuous change and improvement and took significant steps to ensure our jewelry would always be made in an environmentally responsible and socially ethical way.
And since we know that sustainable jewelry design is a topic that’s of great concern to our customers, we wanted to answer some of our most frequently asked questions.
Sustainability at the Holly Yashi Studio
A studio upgrade of larger windows allows for continuous ventilation that ensures employees are breathing fresh air free of dust and pollutants. And the use of skylights and solar panels help to generate 90% of our studio’s electricity.Even our parking lot has a green focus, with the inclusion of permeable grades that allow for rainwater to be distributed to the soil instead of the street.
Jewelry Reimagined
Sustainable Jewelry
While the definition of sustainable jewelry can vary from business to business, we understand it as our commitment to the power of resourcefulness. Since our debut in 1981, we have actively sought out and incorporated sustainable and ethical practices that promote environmental safety, fair trade, and fair mining.
Additionally, our jewelry is 100 percent designed by hand and entirely within our Arcata, California, studio. At no stage in the process is it shipped to a second site or factory for assembly. Lasting quality and wearability are our goals with each and every piece, and our hope is that our jewelry shines through whatever life brings your way. It’s our deepest wish that our jewelry lasts a lifetime, celebrates your story, and creates beloved memories as it’s passed down to your children and grandchildren and beyond.
Fair Trade/Ethical Jewelry
Holly Yashi takes tremendous pride in the practices we’ve incorporated in support of fair trade. Along with partnering with responsible vendors and suppliers, we seek out fair trade brands and their eco-friendly products to sell in our on-site gift shop.But our greatest strengths in ethical jewelry design are the commitments we’ve made to our employees, with a promise to provide the healthiest, happiest, and most enjoyable work environment possible.“We have 45 full-time and fully-benefited employees under one roof,” explains Paul. “Everything gets purchased, designed, and assembled here. Nothing is done outside of North America.” And it’s also the implementation of small yet important actions, like encouraging employees to customize their workspaces for their specific comforts and ease and keeping machine noise levels at a minimum to allow for music and clear conversations with co-workers, go a long way in setting our studio apart from archaic factory environments.
Fair-Mined Jewelry
By sourcing and using fair mined materials to the best of our ability, we’ve empowered our customers to make a positive difference in the living conditions of some of the industry's most-marginalized and least-protected workers.At Holly Yashi, we believe that sustainable jewelry is not just a trend, but a responsibility. As a brand committed to reducing our impact on the environment and supporting ethical and fair practices, we strive to create pieces that not only celebrate beauty but also promote positive change. Our dedication to using eco-friendly materials, implementing zero-waste practices, and supporting fair trade and fair mining is just the beginning of our ongoing efforts to create a more sustainable future. So when you wear our handcrafted jewelry, you're not just making a fashion statement—you're making a statement about what you stand for.
Eco-Friendly Jewelry
By sourcing and using fair mined materials to the best of our ability, we’ve empowered our customers to make a positive difference in the living conditions of some of the industry's most-marginalized and least-protected workers.At Holly Yashi, we believe that sustainable jewelry is not just a trend, but a responsibility. As a brand committed to reducing our impact on the environment and supporting ethical and fair practices, we strive to create pieces that not only celebrate beauty but also promote positive change. Our dedication to using eco-friendly materials, implementing zero-waste practices, and supporting fair trade and fair mining is just the beginning of our ongoing efforts to create a more sustainable future. So when you wear our handcrafted jewelry, you're not just making a fashion statement—you're making a statement about what you stand for.
