The sustainable jewelry brand, Lackadazee, is offering a jewelry recycling program that will accept your old jewelry for store credit.
How does the Lackadazee recycling program work?
The program accepts authentic diamonds, gemstones, and anything containing gold (10k-24k) or sterling silver.
Customers fill out a simple form that asks for descriptions of the materials and spells out the terms and conditions of the program. After that, all you need to do is secure the jewelry or material that you want to recycle inside a package with the form and either drop it off at the store in Louisville, Kentucky or mail it in.
The company will email you in two to four weeks to let you know how much credit you will receive for the items. You have 10 days to respond and let them know if you'd like to go through with the recycling process or if you would rather they return the jewelry.
Why should I recycle my jewelry?
Recycling jewelry that you no longer wear is a great way to declutter your space, and doing it through Lackadazee is convenient and leaves you with store credit to replace your jewelry.
The added bonus? Programs like this one give you the opportunity to cut down on the environmental impact of jewelry-making.
The mining industry is responsible for collecting the materials to make jewelry — often gold, silver, and gemstones — and these mining practices are harmful to the environment.
According to Earthworks, gold mining contributes to the 198 tons of toxic chemicals that are dumped or accidentally leaked into water sources annually.
Additionally, the extraction process to separate gold and make it into jewelry creates even more waste. It takes a large amount of ore to extract enough gold to make even a small piece of jewelry. For example, one gold ring creates 20 tons of scrapped materials.
This is not to say that your wedding ring is a crime. Jewelry is a beautiful form of self-expression that should be embraced. However, utilizing recycling programs like Lackadazees is the perfect solution to enjoy jewelry in a sustainable way.
Lackadazee sources its materials from its own recycling program or, if necessary, from smaller mines that follow strict environmental and safety protocols. The company uses recycled materials to package and ship its products and offers a "carbon-neutral" delivery option.
Are there similar programs to Lackadazee's recycling program?
Yes — trade-in programs are becoming more and more popular and exist for many different kinds of products.
The bedding company, Coyouchi, has a recycling program that allows you to trade in your used bedding in exchange for 15% off your next purchase.
The Girlfriend Collective has a similar initiative — giving you store credit for unwanted clothes that they will recycle.
And if you're looking for somewhere to turn in your electronics, Apple will give you credit toward your next purchase or a gift card to be redeemed anytime in exchange for old technology.
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