Why Lucid Leah doesn’t use pearls
The ethics and sustainability behind choosing alternative materials
In 2021, I began my search for the right ateliers to collaborate with in Bali, Indonesia. My first focus was finding ateliers that value ethics highly and works with sustainable materials. By sustainable materials, I mean materials that are sourced, used, and processed with care for people, the environment, and animals.
After extensive research and many conversations, I found several ateliers that work with recycled silver and gold. These materials are partially sourced from old electronics.
During my research, I also considered using pearls. However, I quickly realized that this did not align with my values.
Why not pearls?
A brief explanation: pearls form when an irritant, such as a grain of sand or a piece of tissue, enters an oyster or mussel. The animal gradually coats it with layers of mother-of-pearl (nacre), which can eventually become a pearl over several years. While this sounds idyllic, in reality, human intervention is often involved, especially with freshwater and cultured pearls.
Freshwater pearls, the more affordable variety commonly used in jewelry, are almost entirely farmed. Approximately 80% of freshwater pearls come from China (source: Keuringsdienst van Waarde), where they are produced in massive quantities. Transparency is often lacking, and consumers rarely know how the pearls were cultivated, under what conditions the mussels live, and what impact the process has on nature and the environment.
In Indonesia, there are a few pearl farms. I had the opportunity to visit one of these farms and witnessed firsthand the time, care, and effort involved in cultivating and selecting saltwater pearls. This makes them extremely expensive. Even for a pearl of the lowest quality, you can pay up to $150 per piece. For me as a starting entrepreneur, this was simply not an option.
What remains as the more affordable option is the freshwater pearl. However, the same concern applies: just as with gemstones, I believe that the lack of traceability is unacceptable. I need to know exactly where my materials come from. With pearls, this transparency is rarely available. You often cannot verify how they were farmed, under what conditions, or what impact the process had on the environment and animals.
What Keuringsdienst van Waarde showed
The episode of Keuringsdienst van Waarde (Price Difference Pearls: Cultured, Natural, Fake or Real) clearly illustrated the lack of transparency in the pearl industry. From artificially cultured pearls to expensive saltwater varieties, behind the scenes lies an industry where animal welfare, ecology, and traceability are often compromised.
A beautiful alternative
For these reasons, I chose not to use pearls and instead sought an alternative material that is both aesthetically pleasing and ethical. The result is the Lily Necklace, crafted from a milky glass bead that offers the same soft, elegant appearance as a pearl, fully sustainable and ethical. The glass beads are made in Surabaya, Indonesia. This way, I can offer products that are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also ethically responsible.
Curious about the rest of my recycled glass bead necklace collection?
