Pandora Completes Shift to 100% Recycled Silver and Gold

Pandora has transitioned to manufacturing all new jewelry using only recycled silver and gold, marking an annual reduction of approximately 58,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

“Silver and gold are our most important raw materials, and by moving to 100% recycled, we reduce our climate impact significantly without compromising on quality or craftsmanship,” Pandora CEO Alexander Lacik said last week.

The carbon footprint of recycled silver is one-third compared to mined silver, and recycled gold produces less than 1% of the emissions from mining new gold, the jeweler said. This new shift positions Pandora at the forefront of sustainable practices in jewelry manufacturing, it claimed.

To mark the change, Pandora’s Lexington Avenue store will present its range of jewelry crafted from 100% recycled silver during Climate Week New York. The showcase will comprise charms, bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces produced from 100% recycled silver.

Pandora stopped sourcing newly mined silver and gold last year, and has been gradually switching its collections since then. The company’s first products made with recycled metals will appear in stores early next year. The move builds on the Danish jeweler’s overall shift away from mined products, including using only synthetic diamonds and other man-made gemstones. Overall, the transition will cost the company an additional $10 million, it added.

Image: Metals being recycled in the refinery. (Pandora)