Sustainability

Carbon has become the headline indicator for climate change, which is why we have taken ownership of our carbon footprint and are on a mission to reduce our emissions year on year. Throughout this on-going process, we are encouraging our suppliers to follow suit, in the hope of establishing long term change across the industry.

There is no doubt that a jewellery business will have an impact on the environment, but we are actively committed to lessening ours.

Originating from our support of Friends of the Earth’s “Drastic on Plastic” campaign in 2019, we remain committed to reducing the use of virgin plastics wherever we can. We have reluctantly accepted that we cannot do without sealable plastic bags used for the storage of finished pieces - as they are essential for locking out air to prevent tarnish and keeping tangles at bay.

Jewellery making doesn’t always go hand in hand with sustainability, particularly regarding the mining of precious metals and gemstones. The Silver and Gold we use is recycled, something that Jewellers have been doing since before the term was invented!

In addition to recycled gold, we also work with the Fairmined Gold initiative, whose certification ensures traceable gold, extracted with the best mining practices aimed at preserving the environment and supporting the development of artisanal and small-scale mining communities.

Wherever possible, we work with stone dealers who source stones mined using responsible practises that will not damage the environment.

Approximately 20 million people worldwide are engaged in artisanal and small-scale gold mining with over 150 million people, miners, and their families, depending on this activity to make a living. However, Gold mining is often associated with irresponsible practices, unsafe working conditions, gender inequality, poor labour practices, organised crime, and environmental damage.

The Alliance for Responsible Mining work tirelessly to regulate this sector to mitigate against these issues, and for us, using Fairmined Gold is a proactive way of supporting communities and empowering social development alongside better environmental practices.

Our AM Helping Hand initiative ensures we support a diverse range of charities and organisations close to the hearts of our team, and customers. From ongoing donations from collaborative pieces to fundraising through bake sales and half marathons, or dedicated holding online sales,Alex Monroe have proudly raised over £100,000 for deserving causes since 2018.

For our fine jewellery collections, we are very proud to work with Wennick-Lefévre who source completely natural, untreated coloured Sapphires mined with responsible mining techniques in Madagascar and Sri Lanka. Wennick-Lefévre understands what the business of precious gemstones can often entail, and one of their key beliefs is that “only a supply chain based on equality and respect can be called responsible.”

Silver has been used to make jewellery for centuries. It is durable yet easy to work with and great for achieving our signature texture and detail. We use recycled silver, and we recycle 100% of the silver we use.

Like Silver, Gold always has, and always will be reused and recycled as it is such a precious metal. Most of the 18ct Gold we use in our fine jewellery collections consists of a minimum of 70% recycled metal. We also offer selected styles in certified Fairmined Gold.

Alex is a huge advocate for keeping traditional skills alive, so from day one, we have always been committed to making our jewellery in England. This also gives us a much shorter supply chain, meaning our carbon footprint will be lower than brands relying on overseas production. We can also monitor quality control in a responsive manner, which alongside our in-house repair service, ensures jewellery is fixed and materials reused rather than scrapped.

Like most aspects of our business, our packaging is constantly evolving, with the goal of being as sustainable as possible. We have worked closely with Oyster Packaging to develop boxes that we hope you will keep and use for years to come.

Our boxes are lined with brushed recycled cotton, and the paper used to make them is FSC certified and uncoated, so it can be easily recycled.

This means that all of our boxes are now made from recycled materials, and are recyclable, the only exceptions being older box styles which have magnetic closures, but we will always use up stock to avoid wastage.

In addition, our bags are also made from FSC certified and uncoated paper, right down to the handles - ensuring they are both sturdy for reuse, and completely recyclable.