Sustainability

Salty Girl is an environmentally responsible business, and these are some of the ways that we make the world better:

  • Our jewelry boxes are made from recycled paper, and are recyclable.

  • Our mailers are 100% compostable and reusable.

  • When packing orders, we reuse recycled paper packing materials that were sent to us with jewelry supplies- we never buy more packing supplies, aside from tape which is made from 100% biodegradable plant based cellulose material.

  • Only biodegradable plastic baggies are used for sending individual jewelry pieces to wholesale accounts. These are usually eventually just thrown away because store owners receive so many, so it's important to make sure they're earth friendly.

  • We recycle all of our scrap silver and gold to get credit with our main supplier, and they upcycle the scraps into new materials.

  • For jewelry making materials, we try our hardest to make sure as many of them as possible are responsibly sourced:

    - We buy mostly lab grown diamonds that don't have such a negative impact on the environment as mined diamonds do. Diamonds that are natural come from reputable sources and are conflict-free.

    - We only use shells that were found empty- never with any creature still living inside.

    - The beetle wings we buy are collected after they are eaten as food in Southeast Asia, where they are also commonly used for crafts.

    - We buy vintage coral necklaces and use the pieces from them in our jewelry so we're using coral that was harvested a long time ago before coral depletion was a problem. Italian coral that is newer is purchased from companies that only practice sustainable coral harvesting, which is regulated in the EU by the European Union Habitat Directive. Under this directive there are laws which prevent the inappropriate use of instruments which may damage the seabeds and marine species in the Mediterranean area. In Italy, there is another law that regulates and controls coral fishing in the Mediterranean and guarantees the continuing growth of coral colonies colonies. Coral fishing in the Mediterranean is practiced exclusively by licensed underwater fishermen, who select only the biggest coral branches, allowing the smallest ones to continue growing.

Ways we give back:

        • We donate jewelry to the Surfrider Foundation (Oahu Chapter) silent auction fundraiser annually to support the beach cleanups and many other efforts they continually make to protect the ocean and shorelines in Hawaii.

        • We also donate to the National Marine Sanctuary's fundraiser auction every year. The Foundation is a leading voice for our essential network of protected waters: national marine sanctuaries and marine monuments. They work with communities to conserve and expand these treasured places for a healthy ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes. Proceeds from the auction support public outreach and education programs, including Capitol Hill Ocean Week, on-the-water conservation projects, and marine restoration.

        • Donations are made annually to the Bishop Museum's fundraiser auction, which helps support the future initiatives of Bishop Museum and our shared kuleana to preserve and perpetuate our collective knowledge and wisdom which connects our island communities. The Bishop Museum is Hawaii's premier natural and cultural history museum in the state.

As nature lovers, we vow to always look for new ways to lower the carbon footprint of Salty Girl, and put this beautiful planet that inspires us so much first!