Sustainability & Conservation

We want to provide our customers with a sustainable jewelry option that will outlive trends and fads – the longer something lasts, the less waste we create. Since we opened, we’ve been deliberate about what kind of business we want to be. One of the nice things about being a small business is that we can be the changes we want to see. We bear the health of our oceans and marine wildlife in mind with every decision we make.

We believe in incremental, deliberate and sustainable changes – very few businesses can completely eliminate everything that makes a negative environmental impact, but what we can do is be aware, make decisions that minimize our impact, and give back to the sea. We view it as a continuous-improvement process to find more sustainable processes and conservation materials as we go. Some of the things we do:

• We aim to do no harm to marine wildlife. This means using eco-friendly processes in our jewelry-making (eg, we use non-toxic compounds and pickle), not harming wildlife to create our jewelry (no shells or pearls) and generally being careful about what waste we create.
• Our fabrication silver is reclaimed/recycled silver
• All our production and  suppliers are from the US
• We are conscious about our packaging – plastic free and reusable. Reduce, reuse, recycle.
• Wherever possible, our marketing materials are made from recycled card stock, in some cases they are made from reclaimed cotton t-shirts!

We also believe that small actions have big impacts. We volunteer with marine debris and conservation organisations, take underwater photos for scientists, and do our own cleanups every week. Each line we collect is one less chance for turtle strangulation, every hook means a little less unnecessary suffering. If you are looking for organizations to volunteer with, get in touch! We’re happy to pass on information.

In addition, we work with organizations that align with our values such as Sharks4Kids. The goal of Sharks4Kids is to create the next generation of shark advocates through education, outreach, and adventure. They provide a dynamic range of interactive learning resources and opportunities to engage and empower students of all ages. When you use the SHARKS4K coupon code on any tiger shark or great hammerhead we’ll donate 15% to Sharks4Kids, and you get 5% off!

These little Hawaii monk seals were created to help raise awareness about Hawaiian monk seals, one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world. The Hawaiian Monk Seal (Monachus schauinslandi) is endemic to Hawaii, and called ʻIlio-holo-i-ka-uaua in Hawaiian which means “dog that runs in rough water”. With each purchase we donate a % to marine conservation.

In the late 19th century, Hawaiian monk seals were hunted to the brink of extinction. The overall population is currently declining and is estimated at fewer than 1,100 individuals. Biologists predict this number will dip below 1,000 in the next 3-4 years. Despite being listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in 1976, they are still near the brink of extinction. Over the last 50 years, the Hawaiian monk seal population has declined by more than 60%.

We only very occasionally are treated to seeing a monk seal when we dive, and despite their unwieldy shape on land, they’re like torpedos in the sea!! Its heartbreaking to think they are so endangered. We’ll donate a % of each monk seal sale to support organizations that look after and care for Hawaiian monk seals. (applies to all monk seal jewelry)