Environmental + Ethical Transparency Statement
RESPONSIBLY MADE FROM THE BEGINNING
Established in 2004, Zurina Ketola has been committed to environmental and social responsibility since day one. Disappointed by the horrifying impacts of fast fashion, she decided to do things a little differently.
A few of our studio’s current sustainable practices include:
- Scrap metal recycling and old material donation
- Recycled or reusable packaging materials
- Carbon neutral shipping
- Branding materials printed on paper from sustainably farmed trees
- An annual assessment of our studio’s practices with updates published on this page
With an eye on the future, Zurina’s always aiming to improve. Take a look at what our studio’s been up to lately and what it hopes to achieve.
SUSTAINABILITY GUIDELINES
R E D U C E
Zurina Ketola participates in slow fashion by designing small collections with timeless aesthetics and high-quality materials. That way, you can enjoy your pieces for years to come.
R E U S E
ZK donates a lot of stock from previous collections and keeps some around to recycle for future projects.
R E C Y C L E
After ZK finishes a collection, guess what happens to all that precious scrap metal? She has it melted and recycled into new raw materials! This helps reduce mining which is good for the environment.
R E P U R P O S E
As for materials no longer in use, ZK has them carefully stashed away for future Upcycled Jewelry Workshops. More on this coming soon.
R E V I S E
ZK is committed to staying flexible and adaptable, so our studio’s ready to respond to any new information on how to be more environmentally sustainable.
ETHICAL SUPPLY CHAIN + BUSINESS PRACTICES
Every collection is made in-studio by Zurina Ketola herself! And she plans to keep it that way.
As for the rest of ZK’s supply chain, here are the facts:
For ZK and other small businesses, it can be tricky to get information from suppliers beyond what country or region their materials are from. So, Zurina decided to do the research and develop her own vetting process.
Questions she asks suppliers:
- How did this material get in my hands?
- Was the process safe for workers and the environment?
- Are your workers paid a fair wage?
- Do we have aligning values?
Often, suppliers don’t have answers to these questions, so Zurina also takes into account other sociopolitical and environmental factors that might contribute to unethical conduct in the supply chain. For instance: Is the area war-torn? Is it known for poor treatment of workers? Does it have a history of subpar environmental standards?
There’s a lot of guesswork involved in the vetting process, and it’s definitely not perfect, but Zurina views it as an essential step in her business.
Supplier Findings
ZK’s leather supplier: They produce the finest-quality leathers in the world using an environmentally friendly dyeing process. They also produce annual 3rd party audits of their environmental impact and maintain manufacturing practices beyond what’s required.
ZK’s largest metal supplier: As an industry leader in environmental and sustainable practices, they offer metal recycling and sell recycled metal materials.
ZK’s gold fill wire supplier: They provide a 3rd party audit to ensure all their gold is ethically sourced. Plus, the majority of their sterling silver wire is made from recycled silver.
ZK’s top gemstone supplier: Their social and environmental values align with Zurina’s; in fact, they’re in the process of creating their own Environmental Transparency Statement.
WORK IN PROGRESS
Zurina Ketola is interested in progress, not perfection. Our studio has made great strides in sustainability since opening up shop in 2004 and will continue doing so into the future. Zurina conducts an annual audit of our studio’s practices and keeps this page updated with the latest details.
Future Goals
Zurina would like to get to the point where all of her products are made of 100% sustainable materials. Currently, our studio’s on the hunt for the following suppliers to help make that happen:
- An ethically/sustainably sourced 14K yellow and rose gold fill chains supplier
- An ethically/sustainably sourced pearls and shell components supplier
A Code of Conduct document is also in the works! Zurina is creating this to help increase transparency with her clients and establish a clear set of standards for her suppliers.
If you’re interested in learning more about ZK’s environmental sustainability and ethical business practices, or if you have any ideas to share, feel free to get in touch here.