Sustainable Practices at Kate & Kole
Our Diamonds
Since being founded in 2015 we have championed the use of Lab grown diamonds. This decision was one that came from Co-founder Sara Spence’s passion for sustainability.
Our diamonds are sourced from reputable growers who have been chosen for their commitment to sustainable practices. Most are either carbon neutral certified, or in the process of being certified. Our head supplier is based in Sydney and we work closely with them to ensure that we are only purchasing from growers who also prioritise sustainable practices.
Choosing only CVD grown stones eliminates a number of larger growers in the market due to the conditions required to create these slower grown stones.
An extra certificate of sustainability can be acquired for customers who are interested in an even higher level of environmental consideration.
Our Gold & precious materials
The large majority of our silver and gold is purchased from a refiner who provides 100% recycled material. They mine no new material. Almost every piece of Kate & Kole jewellery would contain a component (if not the entire piece) from this refiner. This is something we are incredibly proud of.
In a few cases, it is not possible for us to source material from the above supplier. Chain for example is something that we don’t manufacture in house and have worked closely with our supplier to ensure we are able to offer our customers the next best thing. Chain that is made in Melbourne using ethically sourced materials.
If our family owned and operated supplier cannot fulfill our entire order in house they source chain on our behalf, following our supplier trade principals.
We offer a buyback program to encourage customers to return gold and silver to us for refining through our supplier so they can keep up their excellent work of operating mine-free.
Our pieces
We have created a description of the manufacturing process of each piece so as a consumer you can be clear on the type of piece you are purchasing.
You can find this description on each product page.
Designed & Made in Australia with Lab Grown Diamonds and 100% recycled gold.
— this means the piece is made entirely of recycled gold, and only contains Lab grown diamonds. The piece was made and set in our Newcastle or Brisbane studio.
Designed & Made in Australia with Lab Grown Diamonds and a mix of recycled and ethically mined gold.
— this means the piece has a component that may contain new material. An example of this would be a fine platinum band which needs to be machined from new material. The piece is still made and set in our Newcastle or Brisbane studio.
Designed & Made in Australia with 100% recycled materials.
— this means this piece is made in our Newcastle or Brisbane studio using only recycled gold or silver.
Designed & Made in Australia with ethically mined materials.
— this piece has been made using ethically sourced and mined materials. An example of this would be a men’s wedding band which is machined for us by a local supplier.
This piece was designed in Australia and made by an international manufacturer for Kate & Kole.
— A very small range of items are not possible for us to make in house. Our tennis bracelets and necklaces, for example, are made by a carefully selected manufacturer.
This piece contains a component that was imported for Kate & Kole.
— this piece contains a component that has been imported for us to use in one of our designs. A common example of this custom made chain that may include a clasp which has been imported.
This piece was imported for Kate & Kole.
— We import a selection of hinged earrings that we are unable to manufacture in Australia. These pieces are imported for us by our Australian suppliers. Our hinged earrings are imported from Italy.
Our packaging
We have created a suite of packaging using FSC approved papers. We offer a buyback program for any packaging that is returned to us and offer our in-store customers the option to opt for a minimal packaging offering where safe transportation doesn’t need to be considered as highly.
Our manufacturing
We have a team of eight jewellers who work from our Newcastle studio. This team makes the majority of our ready to wear pieces and designs that make up our collection offering including personalised pieces.
We have a small team of jewellers and setters in Brisbane who make our bespoke pieces such as wedding bands and engagement rings.
We are proud to say that we make upwards of 95% of our pieces in our Newcastle & Brisbane studios. With any pieces not made by our in-house teams, being clearly stated on the product page.
To reduce our impact on the environment on a smaller scale we have made decisions as a brand to use less harmful chemicals that are traditionally used in jewellery manufacturing, we limit rhodium plating where possible, we use hydrogen instead of gas torches, and recycle all material waste that is created during the manufacturing process.
If you have any questions on the above, or have a question regarding a particular item, please get in touch with our customer service team.
Our Transparency
We believe in the responsibility we hold to our customer, and that means that we will always strive to be transparent about our strengths and shortcomings. Our commitment to sustainability is ongoing and developing.
