Have you ever wondered how sustainable jewelry is made? Do you want to know the nitty gritty details? If so, read on.
Our jewelry is made by the lost-wax technique. Initially, a design is sketched by hand with comfort and style in mind. It’s then given to the 3D team who refines the design and prints it. The master and mold are created. Replicas are made by pressing molten wax into the mold. They are put on a wax “tree” that’s attached to a rubber top. It's placed into a metal cylinder. Plaster-like mix is poured into the cylinder covering the wax. The mix hardens around the wax. The rubber top is removed and the wax is heated. It melts out leaving negative space in the shape of our pieces. Recycled metals are melted at high temperatures and poured into the negative space. The cylinder is submerged in a bucket of water and the mix becomes liquid again, leaving the cast pieces at the bottom of the bucket. The pieces are fished out, sanded, and polished. Finally, we package our beautiful jewelry in our recycled boxes and they’re sent to you. Watch a video on our process here.
Our Silver and Gold
We here uphold ourselves to the highest standards in design and production. All of our pieces are made from refined and recycled metals. We use 925 sterling silver (92.5% sterling silver, and 7.5% other alloys). This is standard sterling silver. Our vermeil is 2.5 microns of 14K yellow gold.
We Use Lab Grown Diamonds
Our diamonds are lab grown and our stones are ethically sourced. Lab grown diamonds are a more sustainable and responsible alternative to natural diamonds, hence why we use them.
Lab grown diamonds are created from real diamond cultures through HPHT (high-pressure high-temperature) or CVD (chemical vapor deposition). Mined diamonds, often known as "blood diamonds" or "conflict diamonds" have a challenging history involving forced and/or child labor and a monopoly manipulating supply and demand.
We use high clarity lab grown diamonds in our pieces. Lab grown diamonds and mined diamonds look the same to the naked eye. Differences can be detected at the microscopic level. Lab grown diamonds are graded on the same scale as natural diamonds taking into consideration the 4C's: Carat, Color, Clarity, and Cut. Lab grown diamonds are a more sustainable and responsible alternative to natural diamonds, hence why we use them. Shop our lab grown diamond collection.
Sustainable Design Practices
We take great care in the design of our jewelry. Each piece is well thought out with dimension, weight, materials, and durability carefully considered throughout the design process. We create our pieces with patrimony in mind so they can be cherished and passed down through generations.
Partners in Sustainability
We partner with manufacturers who are part of the Responsible Jeweler's Council. The RJC Code of Practices is the only industry standard covering the entire jewelry and watch supply chain. The RJC Code of Practices defines the ethical, human rights, social, and environmental practices that all certified members must adhere to.
Philanthropy
Siku is a philanthropic brand donating profits to the prevention and reversal of climate change as well as donating to non-profit organizations that are offering solutions for our most threatening global concerns. We are a member of 1% for the Planet. Currently, only 3% of philanthropic giving goes to the environment. The 1% for the Planet® membership model drives critical philanthropic support to address the most urgent environmental issues of our time.
Packaging
Our product boxes are made from 74% recycled content (65% post-consumer and 9% post-industrial), and are recyclable. All business, and insert cards are made from 100% recyclable and biodegradable paper that’s FSC certified and produced using wind power. The mailers that we ship our products in are made from 100% recycled plastic waste, are reusable, and recyclable. To offset carbon emissions our packaging partner plants trees in areas in need of reforestation. Our RJC partners send us our jewelry in biodegradable bags.