Over the past few decades, stainless steel jewellery has experienced a significant rise in popularity. Once considered a material reserved only for kitchen appliances and cutlery, stainless steel has emerged as a stylish and durable option for jewellery.

One of the primary reasons for this trend is the material's exceptional durability and resistance to corrosion, tarnishing, and scratches, making it ideal for everyday wear. Additionally, stainless steel jewellery is affordable, hypoallergenic, and available in a wide range of styles, from minimalist to bold and intricate designs. As consumers increasingly seek out sustainable fashion and eco-friendly materials, stainless steel's sustainability and recyclability have also contributed to its rise in popularity.

 In this blog, we will talk in detail about stainless steel jewellery, including its advantages, and impacts on the environment.  But before that let’s see what stainless-steel jewellery is.

What is Stainless-Steel Jewellery?

Stainless steel is a type of alloy made primarily from iron, in addition to chromium, nickel, and other elements. The exact composition of stainless steel can vary depending on the specific grade and application. Chromium is a key component that gives stainless steel its characteristic resistance to rust and corrosion. The addition of nickel also helps to increase the alloy's resistance to corrosion and improves its strength and durability.

Stainless steel jewellery is known for its durability, strength, and resistance to tarnishing, scratching, and corrosion. The primary reason for the tarnishing of jewellery is oxidation. The invisible layer of chromium in stainless-steel jewellery is what prevents it from tarnishing and helps maintain its shine for a long.

Stainless-Steel: sustainable fashion vs fast fashion

In the past few years, cheap fashion in domains like cosmetics, jewellery, clothes, and more rose exponentially leading to enormous ill effects on both society and the environment. However, with the rising awareness about the environmental and societal impacts of fashion, a positive shift towards sustainability has become a NEW NORM.

Sustainable fashion is not just a trend, it is a necessity. Sustainable fashion aims to reduce the negative impact of the fashion industry on the environment and people's lives by promoting more ethical and responsible practices throughout the entire supply chain. This includes using eco-friendly and renewable materials, reducing waste and pollution, and ensuring fair labour practices and workers' rights. Sustainable fashion also involves promoting circularity and reducing the use of finite resources by implementing recycling and upcycling initiatives.

Fast fashion on the other hand has gained popularity due to extremely low prices. Although, cheap materials which barely last for some time, and are usually non-biodegradable create a negative impact on the environment. Also, many times, manufacturers use illegitimate labour practices for cost-cutting.

In the case of stainless steel jewellery, environment-friendly, long-lasting, and renewable makes it a part of sustainable jewellery. However, unlike other materials used for sustainable fashion accessories, stainless-steel objects are quite affordable. This makes it easier for a large chunk of consumers to shift to sustainable fashion without making it too hard on their budget.

Advantages of Stainless-Steel Jewellery

With fast fashion gaining popularity, the problem of quality calls for a material that is long-lasting but also fell into budgets. And so stainless steel started becoming a go-to choice for fast fashion lovers.  Stainless steel jewellery offers several advantages. Some of them are listed below:

1. Durability: Stainless steel is a very durable material, which means that jewellery made from this metal is likely to last for a longer period. This cuts the need for frequent replacement, which in turn reduces waste.
2. Recyclability: Stainless steel is a highly recyclable material, which means that it can be reused many times. This reduces the need for new raw materials to be extracted from the earth, which in turn reduces the environmental impact of stainless-steel jewellery production.
3. Environmental impact: The production of stainless-steel jewellery has a lower environmental impact compared to other materials such as gold or silver. Stainless steel is made from iron, chromium, and nickel, which are abundant materials that are easy to source. The production of stainless steel also requires less energy compared to other metals.
4. Hypoallergenic: Stainless steel jewellery is hypoallergenic, which means that it is less likely to cause skin irritation compared to other materials. As in most cases stainless steel does not contain nickel, which is a common allergen.
5. Affordability: Stainless steel jewellery is generally more affordable compared to other metals such as gold or silver. This makes it a more accessible option for consumers who are looking for sustainable and affordable accessories.

Impact of Stainless-Steel Jewellery on the Environment

Stainless steel jewellery has a relatively low environmental impact compared to other materials commonly used in fashion, such as plastics and synthetic fibres. Stainless steel is a durable and long-lasting material that can be recycled, reducing the need for new materials to be mined and refined. Additionally, stainless steel is resistant to corrosion and tarnishing, meaning that it requires little maintenance, and it does not contribute to pollution or waste from disposable or short-lived fashion accessories.

However, the production and manufacturing processes of stainless-steel jewellery can still have some negative environmental impacts. The mining and refining of the metals used in stainless steel production can result in soil erosion, water pollution, and habitat destruction. The manufacturing process also requires significant energy, which can contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.

It is essential to consider the specific production and manufacturing practices of each stainless-steel jewellery brand and product to determine their environmental impact.

Conclusion

Stainless steel is a great way to make a shift to sustainable jewellery looking at the number of advantages it offers. Vembley offers a range of stunning jewellery options in stainless steel, so be sure to  check them out  and find your perfect accessory today. With the added convenience of home delivery, it has never been easier to make a sustainable fashion choice for your jewellery collection.