Brass vs. Gold Jewelry: A Sustainable Choice for the Modern World

Why Choose Handmade Brass Jewelry for a Sustainable Lifestyle

In a world where fast fashion and mass production dominate, embracing handmade jewelry is a powerful way to support ethical craftsmanship and sustainability. At Ecodunia, our handmade brass jewelry isn't just beautiful, it carries a story of conscious choices, traditional techniques, and a commitment to a better future.

The Beauty and Responsibility of Handmade Jewelry

Handmade jewelry represents more than just style; it embodies the artisan’s skill, creativity, and dedication. Each piece is crafted by local artisans in Kibera, Kenya, providing dignified work and supporting entire communities. When you choose handmade jewelry, you're directly impacting lives, reducing poverty, and empowering families.

Unlike mass-produced jewelry, which often depends on low wages, unsafe working environments, and environmentally destructive practices to cut costs, Ecodunia values transparency, fair wages, and human dignity. We build every piece around the principle that fashion should uplift people and protect the planet, not exploit them.

Why Choose Brass Over Gold?

When it comes to sustainable and ethical jewelry, brass offers a powerful alternative to gold, and especially gold plating. While gold may be synonymous with luxury (and a price to match), the environmental and social costs of gold mining are staggering. I mean, mining in general has significant environmental consequences, but there are methods and metals that are more extreme. And recyclability comes into play, as well. Extracting gold requires the use of harmful chemicals like cyanide and mercury, leading to toxic runoff that contaminates water sources and ecosystems. Gold mining is also a major contributor to deforestation and carbon emissions.

Brass, on the other hand, is primarily made from copper and zinc, which are both less energy intensive to mine and use less harmful chemicals to extract. Additionally, both metals are highly recyclable, significantly reduces the need for new mining. It is a more affordable, durable, and eco-friendly metal that offers the same warm, golden hue as gold, making it an attractive and ethical alternative.

By choosing brass, you're not only making a style statement, but also an environmentally conscious one. It’s a metal that tells a story of circularity, resourcefulness, and respect for the planet.

What About Gold Plating?

While gold plated jewelry offers an affordable and attractive alternative to solid gold, it does come with a few challenges worth considering.

One of the main issues with gold plated jewelry is tarnishing. Over time, either the thin layer of gold or the base metal underneath can tarnish and lose its original luster. Gold plated is generally not designed to last. In a fast-fashion world, gold plating gives an initial sheen that once it scratches and starts to wear off, you can't just polish it back up to it's original shine. You can with solid gold - and you can with brass!

Another factor to be mindful of is water exposure. While solid gold jewelry can easily withstand baths, swimming pools, and even the occasional dip in the ocean, gold plated jewelry is much more vulnerable. Frequent exposure to water can cause the plating to wear off more quickly, leading to visible damage. While brass can, and will tarnish over time, it can either be worn and enjoyed with its natural patina or polished back up in a flash.

Durability is another downside to consider. Gold plated jewelry typically contains only about 0.05% gold by weight. Because the gold layer is so thin, it's prone to scratching, flaking, and wearing away with regular use, especially on pieces like rings and bracelets that experience a lot of movement.

Another often overlooked downside of gold plated jewelry is its environmental impact. The process of electroplating involves the use of several harsh chemicals, including cyanide-based solutions, which pose serious environmental and health hazards if not properly managed. Additionally, once the plating wears off or the piece is no longer usable, gold plated jewelry cannot be effectively recycled. The mixed materials and chemical residues make recycling impractical, meaning most discarded pieces ultimately contribute to landfill waste.

In a world of fast-fashion, gold plating fits the bill: inexpensive, made not-to-last, with a high environmental cost. 

Sustainable Materials: Why Bone Is Better Than Mined Gemstones

Just like gold, the process of mining gemstones is harmful to the environment and the people involved. Gem mining way too often displaces communities, destroy landscapes, and create hazardous working conditions. You've heard the stories, read the news, and seen the movies. It rarely ends well for the communities involved.

At Ecodunia, we replace this damaging practice by using up-cycled cow bone, a material that is both beautiful and sustainable.

Instead of letting bones from the food industry go to waste, our artisans transform them into elegant jewelry pieces. Curious how bones are cured to last? No chemicals at all! A process that involves dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda. Yep, that's all it takes for a bone to be cured for generations of jewelry enjoyment.

This practice celebrates local craftsmanship while reducing waste and environmental harm. It’s a small but powerful way to replace extractive processes with regenerative, creative ones.

What Makes Ecodunia's Jewelry Different

At Ecodunia, every piece of jewelry tells a story:

• Handmade Jewelry: Each item is skillfully crafted by artisans in Kenya, using traditional techniques honed over generations.
• Sustainable Materials: We prioritize using recycled brass and up-cycled cow bone sourced locally, minimizing our carbon footprint.
• Ethical Jewelry: We pay fair wages, maintain safe working conditions, and invest in artisan communities to create lasting change.
• Eco-Friendly Practices: Every material and process, from production to packaging, is chosen with the environment in mind.

When you wear Ecodunia jewelry, you’re wearing art that represents dignity, sustainability, and the beauty of ethical craftsmanship.

The Art of Craftsmanship: Handmade with Heart

Our artisans, based in Kibera, the largest urban slum in East Africa, carry forward generations of jewelry-making traditions.
In an area where opportunity can be rare, jewelry making has become a source of pride, empowerment, and sustainable income.

But the Ecodunia story doesn't end with jewelry. Our team extends to include handmade bag artisans in our workshop, a marketing and sales team, and even an in-house chef who prepares meals for everyone.

Every Ecodunia purchase — whether a brass ring, brass bracelet, earrings, leather wallets, canvas, vegan leather or leather bag, supports not just the artisans but their families too, creating ripples of positive impact throughout the community.

When you choose Ecodunia, you're choosing to sustain livelihoods, reduce poverty, and promote dignity through every handmade piece you wear.

How Sustainability Is Woven into Every Ecodunia Product

At Ecodunia, sustainability isn't just a label; it's a way of life:

• Locally Sourced Materials: All materials — from cotton canvas for bags to brass and bone for jewelry — are locally acquired in Kenya, supporting local economies and reducing transport emissions.
• Handcrafted Production: Every item is handmade, reducing the carbon footprint compared to factory mass production.
• Minimal Waste: Our processes maximize material use and repurpose waste whenever possible, especially through upcycling bone and recycling brass.
• Fair Employment: We create stable jobs that provide economic security and foster skills development within the community.

From the first sketch to the final polish, every step we take is grounded in respect for people and planet.

Ecodunia’s Impact: Empowering Communities

The impact of Ecodunia extends far beyond the products themselves:

• Steady Employment: Reliable income empowers artisans to support their families, send children to school, and build brighter futures.
• Community Development: Stable jobs reduce crime rates and help create healthier, more vibrant communities in Kibera.
• Indirect Impact: Families of our team members — from artisans to chefs — benefit from the economic stability Ecodunia brings.
• Environmental Stewardship: By promoting the use of sustainable, recycled, and up-cycled materials, we encourage responsible consumption and environmental awareness.

Every purchase is a powerful act of support for communities striving for change and sustainability.

Read More: The Story Behind Ecodunia’s Handmade Jewelry: Timeless and Unique

How to Care for Your Brass Jewelry

Brass jewelry is durable but requires some simple care to maintain its luster:

• Polishing Brass: Use a soft cloth to gently buff your jewelry and remove tarnish.
• Natural Cleaning: Mix lemon juice and baking soda into a paste, apply it, wait a few minutes, then rinse and dry. Tooth paste and ketchup work well, too!
• Avoid Chemicals: Keep your jewelry away from chlorine, perfumes, and harsh cleaners.
• Proper Storage: Store your jewelry in a dry, cool place, ideally in a soft pouch or airtight container.

With minimal care, your handmade brass jewelry can stay radiant for many years.

Read More: Brass Polishing Tips: How to Clean Brass Rings, Bracelets, or Earrings

Choosing Ecodunia: A Step Toward a Sustainable Future

In a world where every purchase makes a statement, choosing Ecodunia’s handmade, ethically sourced, sustainable jewelry is a conscious step toward a greener, fairer world.
You're not just buying jewelry, you're wearing a commitment to environmental stewardship, community empowerment, and beautiful craftsmanship.

Ready to Wear the Change?

Explore Ecodunia’s collection of handmade jewelry crafted with love, tradition, and deep respect for the planet. Each piece you wear empowers a community, protects the environment, and brings authentic beauty into your life. Shop our sustainable jewelry today and be part of the story.