Materials

Each piece of LUAH jewelry starts with a base of medical grade 316L stainless steel. Manufacturing stainless steel requires less energy and resources than the production of precious metals like gold and silver, leading to a lower environmental and carbon footprint. It also is 100% recyclable and can be easily repurposed into new items rather then being sent to landfills.

Stainless steel is highly durable, corrosion resistant and requires little maintenance and cleaning. This means less jewelry in the trashcan, less chemicals needed for polishing, and an overall greener outcome for the planet.

For LUAH, stainless steel is the definition of a win-win, not only is it a hypoallergenic material that is water, sweat, chemical, and tarnish-resistant, but it also comes at a far lower environmental cost then precious metals. The result is long-lasting jewelry that stays out of landfills.

Plating

We plate all of our jewelry with a AA coating of 18K gold using PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) technology. PVD coating is a process that uses a vacuum chamber and high-energy particles to bond a layer of metal onto a piece of jewelry. This process is far more environmentally friendly than electroplating, which uses a chemical solution to coat the jewelry.

Electroplating requires a lot of energy and resources to create a chemical solution, that can be harmful to the environment if not treated and disposed of properly. Additionally, electroplating often involves the use of toxic chemicals such as cyanide and nickel, which can have negative effects on human health and the environment.

On the other hand, PVD plating does not require any harmful chemicals or solutions. The process itself is very clean and produces minimal waste, making it a much more sustainable option for those who care about their environmental impact.

Lastly, PVD plating is known for being more durable compared to electroplating. This means that you won't have to replace your PVD-plated jewelry as often, reducing the amount of waste produced over time.

Packaging

Plastic packaging is one of the most damaging pollutants of natural habitats. At LUAH we are on a mission to keep plastic out of landfills, rivers and oceans. We have assessed the entire life cycle of our packaging and integrated 100% plastic-free materials that are either easily recyclable or naturally biodegradable.

Our shipping and jewelry boxes are made from recycled cardboard and paper. They can be re-used as a long-term jewelry box, or simply recycled. For jewelry boxes we have embraced the use of mono-materials, this further increases the chances of recycling by making it easier for end-users to sort materials correctly.

We use jewelry pouches made from woven bamboo fibers instead of animal or plastic-based materials. Bamboo is incredibly sustainable because it grows quickly and doesn't require a lot of water or pesticides to thrive. Plus, bamboo is naturally biodegradable, which means that these pouches will break down over time without harming the environment.

Lastly, comes our jewelry cards, which are made from uncoated recycled paper, and finished with water-based glues and inks. Carefully selecting natural materials for each of these elements allows for the cards to be easily biodegradable.