The Millennial generation has often gotten a bad rap. Misunderstood and mischaracterized as “lazy”, this powerful age group continues to illuminate the cultural ‘norms’ they have rejected in hopes of building a brighter future for themselves and generations to come. Now holding the buying power, these late 20s to early 40s visionaries, are decidedly not lazy at all. Instead of growing up, going to college and getting a job like their forefathers did without question, they are blazing new paths: ones with meaning and laid heavily in experience, rather than material.
Millennials are not motivated to buy something because of status. No, they care about the memories, the experience and the meaning behind each purchase. Not only are their priorities sentimental, but environmentally conscious as well. Never before has there been a generation more concerned about their impact on our planet. We see this reflection in how vastly our market has shifted. Not only is ethically sourced and sustainable jewelry desirable, but it’s imperative if you are going to attract this thoughtful buyer.
Dubin’s Fine Jewelry has long been aware about the community at large. Over our forty years of business we had donated to dozens of charities and continue to do so today. None of these contributions has been as impactful to our environment as those made to TerraPass. As sustainable and ethical jewelry came to the forefront, we too wanted to be a part of the solution. TerraPass helps our business calculate our carbon footprint each year. We are then able to offset this footprint by offering TerraPass a donation. This remarkable company takes these financial contributions to build better systems that offer better air quality, a reduction in waste, environmentally friendly sources of electricity (such as wind power) and contributes to job creation in these communities. It’s a wonderful and easy way any company anywhere in the world, can help our planet.
At DFJ we are also conscious of materials and sourcing. Many of the gemstones, diamonds, and metal we use in our jewelry designs are responsibly sourced. Our local craftspeople provide visibility about their casting grain sources and metal recycling methods. Not only do these practices help us reduce and reuse, but we also recycle, or should we say ‘upcycle’ jewelry items all the time. Our speciality is creating modern heirlooms by redesigning and repurposing family jewels.
Whether you work with Dubin’s or someone else it’s imperative to understand these issues. Do not be shy to ask questions and get information! Any jeweler who doesn’t offer transparency or detailed feedback into their processes is probably not the right fit for you if sustainability is important to your buying decision.
We’re so excited to see how the jewelry industry has shifted over the past decade and for the better. We truly have Millennials to thank! So next time you find yourself making a snap judgement on this generation, take a moment to recognize that things aren’t often as they seem.
