John Hardy is a jewelry and costume jewelry brand founded on the island of Bali in the 1970s that has established itself as a pioneer in the field of sustainable luxury. Despite being handcrafted jewelry, its collections are already available in twenty-seven countries.
CEO of John Hardy, Damien Dernoncourt, carries out all the brand's advertising campaigns in Bali. For him, it’s logical and normal to bring the models and photographers, accompanied by his entire film crew, to the island where they were born, so that everyone can capture and then transmit through their visuals and video clips the soul of the brand.
Renowned for its artisanal, handcrafted pieces, the brand marked its first sustainable collection in September of 2019, of diamonds made from reclaimed metals and stones. Centered around John Hardy’s aesthetic, the diamonds were ethically sourced raw from India, South Africa, and Australia which are all part of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, which ensures their sourcing is ethical and that those who mine the diamonds are paid fairly.
John Hardy incorporates green practices into its manufacturing as wel as being socially responsible. Outlined in its strict code of conduct, its requirements revolve around 15 different standards that aim to address many of the issues that plague the jewelry industry including child labor, forced labor, gender and racial equality, workplace safety, collective bargaining rights, the financing of terrorism, and the ethical sourcing of gold and gemstones.
The brand was born from the founder’s passion for Bali’s traditional jewelry-making techniques. Many of the pieces are created or finished by hand, helping to preserve the cultural traditions of Bali’s royal courts, many of which are slowly disappearing. In this way, John Hardy empowers the local community by ensuring that its local customs and traditions live on.
“Greener Every Day“
The brand’s slogan, “Greener Every Day” signals its commitment to sustainability. It demonstrates its constant search for eco-conscious methods and that a commitment to the environment is central to their entire business model.
In its efforts to be fully carbon neutral, the brand plant bamboo to offset part of their travel and advertising. Through its “Wear Bamboo Plant Bamboo” campaign, it has planted than a million bamboo seedlings.
The Responsible Jewellery Council
As a certified member of the Responsible Jewellery Council, the brand is committed to enabling ethical practices across their supply chain. It uses only reclaimed metals and ethically sourced gemstones as well as Kimberly Process-compliant diamonds.
The Responsible Jewellery Council is a global leader in setting standards for the watch and jewelry industry. The RJC has set out to assist jewelry brands on their sustainable journey by helping them understand where they are in the supply chain.
The RJC standards cover human rights, labour rights, health and safety and product integrity. Its Code of Practices standard applies to gold, silver, PGM’s, diamond and gemstone supply chains.
Its services are designed to be affordable for every business from large to small. They encourage businesses to sign up as members for its many benefits to getting on the path to sustainability.