Sustainable Jewellery Practice: A Creative Approach To Communicate Sustainability

 This creative research is based on an extensive review of literature that explores both environmental and social concerns in the jewellery industry, relating to the metal mining sector. Issues addressed include the processes and methods of the extraction of metals through mining, to the metal finishing of jewellery manufacturing. Existing studies have revealed that there is a lack of clarity in defining sustainability in the context of a studio practice for Independent Jewellery Designers (Ceschin, and Gaziulusoy, 2016; Fettolini, 2018). This study will be presented through a review of literature that was integrated into a conceptual framework, followed by practice-based activities. 

I used my own craft education and experience as an example in this practice-based research. Positioning craft practice in a research context can facilitate the reflection and articulation of knowledge generated from within the research-practitioner’s artistic experience. Conducting primary research through making, enables knowledge to become explicit as a means of visual evidence to support the written text. 

In addition to the paper, a collection of brooches have been produced and will be exhibited as the creative component of this project.