What is recycled silver? And why is Scream Pretty using it?

From 2020, Scream Pretty Australia uses recycled sterling silver as the base for all our pieces.

Recycled Silver Jewellery is made from Sterling Silver, the only difference - the Silver we use has been used before. Recycled Silver is produced using unwanted jewellery, scrap silver, electronic and medical equipment. Scream Pretty uses recycled silver because we want to source silver with a much lower environmental impact. There is minimal impact on the environment as it won't be mined and less chemicals are used to process the silver!

Scream Pretty have worked closely with our casting team and silversmiths to make sure there is no loss of quality in our jewellery.

We are all looking for ways, big and small, to help be part of the solution to climate change, and sustainability. Consumers are now looking for sustainability, transparency and ethical manufacture in the brands they believe in, buy into and support. Scream Pretty have been seeking ways for years to take the small steps towards more sustainable and ethical production of their jewellery, a big step is using Recycled sterling silver. Making small changes to production makes big differences to our environment.

Scream Pretty also likes the sentimental journey of using recycled silver, the silver had a life before, a purpose, and it's own story. By reusing silver we carry it's story to the next generation.

Mining has always been a fundamental process in the jewellery supply chain. In 2004 Jonathan and Lucy Lee (Directors of Scream Pretty) visited Potosi, a Silver Mine in Bolivia, and saw first hand the impact of mining on the physical environment, the chemical footprint required to process metal, and the high impact on the workers - this has informed their decision to work as much as possible with Recycled Silver.

Potosi, is a 'Silver Mountain' in Bolivia, and has been mined for silver for 474 years, and is still one of the largest silver deposits. On a tour of the mine - Lucy and John they witnessed hard working conditions of heat and dust, and very little safety (dynamite was for sale on the street in 2004!) It was humbling for them to see first hand the conditions at the mine, that the 16,000 workers had to experience daily to bring rocks containing silver to the surface.

Lucy feels 'As jewellery makers it is incredibly important to understand where your raw materials come from, and the impact it has on the environment and the people sourcing it'. 

We treat and pay our team fairly and use ethically audited manufacturers with high welfare standards that we visit often. Environmentally we are always seeking to find ways to reduce our footprint, from recycling silver and using FSC approved packaging, to reducing plastic consumption.

We'll keep you updated on the ways we are doing this.

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