Recycled silver

Silver is a finite resource, and it is expected that it will only be available for about another 30 years if we use it in the same way we do today. Therefore, it is important that the processes for recycling silver are constantly evolving, and that we get better and better making use of silver from various products.

Three main methods are used to recycle silver:

– Old jewelry and similar products are melted down.
– Products from the photo industry where the silver is recycled by electrolytic processes and then melted down.
– Electronic scrap, a more complicated process where the silver is recycled from the solution formed when copper and other metals are recovered, and then electrolytic processes and smelting are used.

The silver in our jewelry mainly come from products from the photo industry, and to a lesser extent from old jewelry and residual products in manufacturing that are melted down.

Compared with using new silver, the climate impact is about 70% lower when using recycled silver. To produce one kg of new silver, the equivalent of 100 kg of CO2 is used.

In 2023, the use of recycled silver in Syster P’s jewelry have saved about 28 tonnes of CO2 compared to new silver. This corresponds to, for example, 154 round trip flights to Berlin, or if you take the train you can go there 7140 times!

Our gold jewelry is also made of sterling silver, covered with a thin layer of gold. The gold we use are a very small total amount, and plating is not possible today in recycled gold.

The natural stones we use are normally common in several places in the world. Our suppliers have extensive experience of procuring stones and long-term relationships with their subcontractors. This means that traceability and replacement with synthetic stones are generally not considered to have a significant effect on our climate footprint. We are very interested in stones and constantly strive for our stones to feel natural and at the same time not burden the climate. It makes us open to new methods, new materials and new sources of inspiration when using stones in our jewelry.

REPAIRING AND RECYCLING

Jewelry from Syster P is made to last a long time. Despite this, it sometimes happens that a piece of jewelry breaks. We have a generous complaint policy and very rarely say no to receiving a broken piece. We want our jewelry to be worn.

Our aim is to reduce waste, so we always collect broken pieces. In the event of a complaint, we normally replace the jewelry with a new one, so that the person who submitted it receives help immediately. The broken piece is taken care of and goes back in to our production to be repaired. If the piece can't be repaired, it is melted so that the silver can be used to create new jewelry. In this way, as little work as possible is wasted, and all raw materials are used.