We love adorning our fingers, wrists, necks, and ears with charming trinkets, but what we adore even more are vegan jewelry brands that dedicate themselves to thoughtful sourcing, strong messaging, and give-back initiatives that truly make an impact. Here, we’ve compiled five of our favorites. But first, what is vegan jewelry, anyway?

What is vegan jewelry?

While most jewelry is already vegan due to the materials used, there are some exceptions. For example, some brands encase insects, like bees and butterflies in resin, and use them to make earrings or necklaces. Others might use pearls, and many use leather, which is made from cowhide, to create things like woven bracelets, for example. Plus feathers, which are nearly always sourced from real birds, are frequently used in dangly earring designs.

VegNews.Jewelry.Rings.WestlandJewelryWestland Jewelry

The brands below are committed to using only cruelty-free, vegan materials. And many are also about prioritizing sustainability and ethics, too. Some use recycled metals, for example, as well as fair trade gemstones.

5 vegan women-owned jewelry brands we’re crushing on

Whether you’re in search of a well-made addition to your own collection or a sustainable gift, jewelry is an accessory that we hold dear for a lifetime. Each of these five skilled female artisans and entrepreneurs pairs their vegan values with a commitment to their craft—and it’s the reason we don’t hesitate to wear their handmade treasures every day.

VegNews.PlantPossePlant Posse 

1 Plant Posse

Plant-powered Brittney West and her team create whimsical, one-of-a-kind pieces that promote plant pride. Imagine brightly colored miniature avocados dripping from your ears or peeled bananas hanging from your mom’s neck. Each piece is hand-sculpted, hand-painted, and made from nickel-free materials. Plus, a portion of their profits is donated to various animal sanctuaries and human-rights organizations.
Learn more

VegNews.MishakaudiMishakaudi

2 Mishakaudi

For 10 years, artisan Marissa Lewis has been sharing her love for bohemian-style jewelry that is free of animal leather or feathers through Mishakaudi. Each one of Lewis’ pieces is individually hand-crafted in her workshop in Spokane, WA, where she lives with her two daughters and their French bulldog, Nahko. Keep mom looking chic with can’t-miss layered gold and silver necklaces and tassel earrings made with vegan leather.
learn more

VegNews.WestlandJewelryWestland Jewelry

3 Westland Jewelry

Los Angeles-based artist Melissa Minney hand-sculpts each piece of Westland Jewelry out of molten wax and casts it into recycled materials, such as old jewelry parts or hardware, using the ancient art of lost wax casting. Minney’s pieces also feature ethical, lab-grown or fair-trade diamonds and gemstones in intricate freeform styles so mom can rock her favorite stones and styles.
learn more

VegNews.ChristyRobinsonDesignChristy Robinson Design

4 Christy Robinson Design

Jewelry maker Christy Robinson’s charming animal-shaped bracelets, earrings, rings, and necklaces can be used as conversation starters because of their bold messaging. Her pieces are made using earth-friendly metals such as aluminum and sterling silver. An ethical vegan for the last 20 years, Robinson currently donates a portion of proceeds to various earth, animal, and people-friendly charities. Mom will love the pieces in Robinson’s collection and the positive impact her gift makes.
learn more

VegNews.FractalMoonCreationsFractal Moon Creations

5 Fractal Moon Creations

Jewelry creator Briana Reeves uses nature and the earth as her inspiration when designing her intricate copper and stone pieces, which range from amethyst earrings to wire-wrapped moonstone necklaces. Reeves’ use of unusual stones such as labradorite, green fluorite, and tiger’s eye make her pieces unique, unforgettable, and sure to shine in mom’s collection.
learn more

For more on vegan accessories and fashion, read: