The average gold wedding band requires roughly twenty tons of ore to be mined to produce enough gold for a single ring. That mining operation consumes millions of litres of water, produces thousands of tons of waste rock, and leaves a permanent scar on the landscape. Steel ring production requires similar energy input and emits significant CO2.
Wood is different. The veneers that make up a bentwood ring come from wood that has already been cut for other purposes -- furniture, instrument making, flooring, or log-home construction. The veneers are only as thick as a playing card, so each ring uses less material than you would expect. A single plank of wood can yield enough veneers for dozens of rings.
Our wood suppliers use sustainable forestry practices, which means every tree that is harvested is replaced by at least one new planting. The majority of our materials come from North American and South American forests that are actively managed, not ancient rainforests being clear-cut.
The finishing process also has a low environmental footprint. Our marine-grade polyurethane clearcoat is water-based, not solvent-based, which means it does not release volatile organic compounds into the air. The dye we use on grey-dyed birdseye maple is also water-based and non-toxic.
When you choose a wood wedding band, you are choosing a material that is renewable, low-impact, and beautiful. You are wearing something that does not require tearing the earth apart to exist.