Crafting a greener future — an exclusive look at sustainable jewelry design.
Here at Stuller, sustainability is more than a value — it’s a commitment to the future. For America Recycles Day, we partnered with jeweler and influencer Allie Perry to create a unique jewelry piece using SCS-certified 100% recycled precious metals. By providing her with a selection of 14K white gold materials — flat sheet, flat stock, bails, and jump rings — we aimed to highlight how SCS-certified 100% recycled precious metals can inspire creativity while supporting the environment.
Allie’s thoughtful approach to sustainable jewelry and design made her the perfect collaborator for this special project. In this interview, Allie shares her journey as a jeweler, her experience working with sustainable materials, and her vision for the future of sustainable jewelry.
Behind the Design
1. How did you begin working in the jewelry industry?
It all started with a high school jewelry class. “As a senior, I took the class to fill some time, but I really had a knack for it and fell in love,” Allie shared. Her passion led her to earn a bachelor’s degree in studio art with a specialization in jewelry and silversmithing at a local university where she created her own internship program for credit.
One opportunity led to another — an internship at a jewelry company turned into a full-time role after graduation followed by stints in manufacturing, sales, and repair work. These experiences then led to custom design and manufacturing roles at jewelry stores where Allie gained hands-on experience with clients and refined her craft before opening her own business.
2. How long have you been designing jewelry? What inspires your designs?
Allie has been crafting jewelry since 1996 — 28 years and counting! Her inspiration comes from a wide range of sources: nature, shapes, music lyrics, and even quick sketches scribbled on scraps of paper.
“When you’re looking for a design, you can really find it everywhere,” she explained. “It’s about distilling what you see and turning it into something new.”
3. What is your experience working with sustainable materials?
Allie has always been eco-conscious even before sustainable metals became widely available. “I loved encouraging people to reuse and redesign their existing jewelry to create something new,” she said.
“Even if that original metal had a less than desirable footprint on the earth, reusing it would allow you to have a new piece without causing any further environmental damage.”
4. What was your process for creating this piece, both creatively and technically?
Allie’s America Recycles Day creation is a pendant about the size of a quarter. The design features a hand-sculpted yellow gold winter tree against a mirror-finished background.
“I wanted to highlight recycling, but I also wanted to create something people would actually wear,” she explained. Originally, she had planned to include glass in the design but decided that the tree could stand on its own and spark conversation.
From a technical standpoint, she began with the tree, layering and soldering wire to add dimension. The mirror-finished background required bead setting from the back to achieve its polished look.
Thoughts About Sustainable Metals
1. Did you find any differences in working with these metals compared to the ones you normally use?
“No,” Allie said. “These products were just as easy to work with as any other metal. It was a seamless transition to move into recycled stock metals — they work just as you would want them to. Every way you would expect them to operate, function, and react — they do.”
2. How does using sustainable materials influence your jewelry creations or process?
For Allie, sustainable materials are now central to her work. “It’s about all I work with now. I do everything I can to make sure that the impact that I’m having on the environment is more positive than negative,” she explained. “I do what I can to encourage customers to use recycled materials.”
3. Were there any surprises that came up while creating this piece?
While there weren’t any surprises, Allie’s process remained fluid. “You can’t always force an idea onto a piece. Sometimes, you have to let the piece come together as it’s forming,” she commented.
“I try to let the piece shine (pun intended) and tell me what it wants to do. Then, I highlight what’s working so that in the end, I can put out the best piece.”
4. What does creating sustainable jewelry pieces mean to you personally?
“For me, it was very important for my business ethics to match my personal ethics,” Allie shared. “I’m honest to a fault, and I try to be genuine in everything I do so my customers know they can trust me when I tell them the materials I use are recycled and ethically sourced. If my customers have that same concern about being more ‘green’ in their efforts, they know that they can feel good about supporting me.”
5. Do you believe sustainability will continue to be a growing focus in jewelry, and what do you envision for its future?
“I do believe sustainability will continue to grow in the jewelry industry,” Allie said. “As we educate more people on these efforts, hopefully they’ll be inclined to reuse materials instead of mining new ones. There’s no drawback — it’s better for the earth and clients still get to enjoy heirloom-quality pieces.”
However, she acknowledges the persistence of ‘fast jewelry’ in the market. “My customers prefer jewelry that will last them for years and knowing they can continue recycling pieces to get something new while not adding to environmental waste.”
6. Do you have any tips for jewelers looking to begin working with sustainable materials?
“Just jump right into it,” Allie explained. “Don’t think that because it’s recycled, it’s impure or works differently than other metals. The beauty of metal is that you’re not committed to it — it can always be reused or refined.”
Her final piece of advice? “If we approach things with empathy and a smile, it goes a long way.”
Time With Allie Perry
Allie Perry’s journey as a jeweler exemplifies the power of passion, creativity, and purpose. Her thoughtful approach to sustainable jewelry design reminds us that innovation and ethics can coexist beautifully. As jewelers, we have the opportunity — and responsibility — to inspire change by embracing sustainable materials and educating our customers about their benefits. Whether you’re starting small or diving in headfirst, every step toward sustainable practices makes a meaningful impact.
At Stuller, we’re proud to support jewelers like Allie by being committed to ethical sourcing and environmental sustainability in all aspects of our operations. Together, we can shape a future where jewelry not only tells stories but also protects the planet for generations to come.