Saving the Earth, One Choice At A Time

Written By Allie Perry February 17, 2024

Do you hate all the packaging waste that comes with online shopping? I do. It makes me absolutely bonkers to order a small item online and have it show up in an enormous box with about a mile of those giant inflatable bubble strips.  I do not need a fort-sized box for a usb charger. No one does.

Let me tell you about the choices I’ve made at Allie Perry Designs to minimize waste and do less environmental damage, so you can feel great about shopping my website!

First, let's talk about size. (That’s what she…nah, too easy.)  I didn’t want to send small jewelry in giant boxes, so studied my average order, figured out how much space I’d need to accommodate the boxed jewelry and packing materials, and designed a custom box size that would be large enough for my largest orders without being wasteful or driving up shipping costs.

And they couldn’t be just any boxes- they had to be eco-friendly and come from a company actively tying to make a difference.

So I ship your order in 100% recycled corrugate boxes made from 100% recycled content & 95% post-consumer waste, and I seal it all up with Kraft paper tape made from renewable plant-derived backing and water-activated corn starch adhesive! I get them from a company so committed to sustainable packaging, their entire business runs around this sustainable package framework.

When you open up your new package from Allie Perry Designs, the first thing you’ll see is a little note tucked into tissue paper. These notes are cotton paper made from 100% recycled T-shirt offcuts, and the tissue paper is 100% recycled and printed with water-based inks. And when you peel back the tissue paper, you’ll discover you goodies safely nestled in a paper alternative to bubble wrap. It's naturally biodegradable, compostable, and fully recyclable!

Next up: reusable packing materials. These are materials that can be used multiple times, which not only saves resources but also reduces waste. That’s exactly what you’ll find inside the tissue paper. I present my jewelry in Kraft paper boxes that use recycled paper made of 100% post-consumer fiber over a 100% recycled cardboard box made with 90% post-consumer fiber. And the cards inside are acid-free and made with 30% post-consumer fibers.

If you decide to reuse my packing materials, you’ll be taking that additional step to give extra life to recycled products, and reducing waste.

If you decide not to reuse my packing materials, you can still make the eco-friendly choice of recycling or composting the materials I’ve selected.

Either way, you’ve made a choice that’s good for the planet! 

And my commitment to sustainability doesn’t stop there…

The jewelry I make at Allie Perry Designs is made with recycled metals and ethically sourced stones!

Whenever possible, I recycle my metal scraps to create new, usable metal. These “scraps” are frequently clean, unused bits of metal from edges or corners of other projects. I take special care to remove any scrap pieces that contain solder or other impurities that may affect the quality of the final product.

Any bits of metal unsuitable for recycling at the bench are collected and sent to the refiner. There, impurities are removed and the pure metal is reclaimed, allowing it to once again be alloyed for use in jewelry and other metal projects!

The combination of recycling and refining ensures there is virtually no metal waste!

When it comes to gemstones, I do my absolute best to ensure that the stones I set in my jewelry are ethically sourced. I work only with responsible suppliers who are open and honest about their material sources or countries of origin. Some items, like sea glass, I source myself!

Many of the stones used in my jewelry come from independent lapidary artists in the United States.  I support other small businesses as often as I can for my own business needs!

I know my business has a responsibility to be a good steward of the earth, and I take that responsibility seriously. I want to reduce the impact I have on the planet, and I want you to feel secure in knowing your online purchase from Allie Perry Designs are displayed, packaged, and shipped with resources carefully curated at every step to be the best eco-friendly choice!