The 5 REs: All about costume jewellery

​By Laura Servage

These days, we’re paying more attention to supply chains and sustainability in fashion. And
there are exciting initiatives afoot to encourage sustainable fashion and hold suppliers
accountable for how their products are made and disposed of.

But here’s an angle that’s often overlooked when we talk about eco-conscious fashion:
costume jewellery. That’s the stuff you buy that is not made of precious metals or gems.
If you are refreshing or downsizing your wardrobe, you might forget about your jewellery
entirely, or if you’re like me, just say, “Ugh. It’s so small that I don’t know what to DO with it.
Maybe later.”

Well, buckle up. It’s time to use our 5REs to talk through those oh-so-easy to acquire and
accumulate earrings, necklaces, bracelets and rings that end up being oh-so-difficult to get rid
of.

REfuse

Refusing is all about preventing materials from entering waste streams in the first place. If
you “refuse” to purchase or accept an item, you won’t have to worry about the rest of the
5Rs.

For costume jewellery, you can REfuse by considering before you buy:

• Will you use it more than once?
• Do you have a specific plan to incorporate it into your wardrobe?
• Are you being seduced into buying more than you need by BOGO or a sale

You can also REfuse by rejecting jewellery made from nickel, lead and certain alloys
(composite metals) that are toxic for you and for the environment! Jewellery made of these
materials quickly tarnishes and can’t be cleaned. They also tend to break easily, leading to
them being thrown out more quickly.

REduce

You can REduce the quantity of your jewellery by buying less often and focusing on versatile,
well-made pieces that work with multiple outfits. Rather than buying a lot of cheap, low-quality
jewellery, you should buy fewer pieces that are instead made of safe, high-quality metals and
alloys like gold, sterling silver, stainless steel, titanium and platinum.

Favour natural materials
like wood, leather and precious or semi-precious stones over plastic and rhinestone. Quality
jewellery can be repaired and cleaned, ensuring that you can enjoy it for many years.

REuse

Love the jewellery you have! You’ll be less tempted to buy new costume jewellery if you clean
what you already have and keep it in a visible and easily accessible place, so you remember to
use and enjoy what you already own.

When donating jewellery for REuse by others, it is less likely to end up in landfill if it is in
clean, ready-to-wear condition:

• Ensure clasps are not broken and earrings have their backs.
• Untangle necklaces.
• Place jewellery in a small box so that it will be easy to find for donation sorters to review
and organize

And did you know you can repair your jewellery at a repair café? Check out Repair
Café Toronto and watch for upcoming Repair Cafés at REmarket!

REpurpose

Do you have broken costume jewellery that’s not worth fixing? Me too. Fortunately, at least
some of our old costume jewellery can be upcycled.

By getting broken jewellery into the hands of dedicated re-users and jewellery artisans, you
are diverting at least some of it from landfill and potentially extending its life.
If you are a crafter, consider your own upcycling projects too!
REcycle.

Well, we’ve saved the worst for last. The combination of mixed (and sometimes toxic) metals,
glues and plastics used to make costume jewellery cannot easily be recycled. So, if your
costume jewellery is damaged, or you can’t find a way to repurpose it, its next home is the
garbage.

Sustainable jewellery buy and swap tips:

• If you don’t know the composition of the jewellery you are buying, ask!
• Shop local businesses and artisans that prioritize eco-friendly materials and practices.
• Favour quality metals, natural materials and upcycled jewellery.
• Buy less often and buy quality.

Edited by Jess Blackwell, of Lumida Creative Services