Ethical Jewelry in Seattle: Where to Shop Small in the Pacific Northwest
Every November, "shop small" shows up in headlines and hashtags. By February it's gone, and the small businesses are still here, still making things. So this is the year-round version: who we are, where to find our ethical jewelry in Seattle in person, and some other Pacific Northwest makers and creators worth your attention.
Ethical Jewelry, Designed in Seattle
I'm Karen, founder of Astor & Orion. I sculpt every design as a 3D model in my Seattle studio before a single gram of metal is melted, and the pieces are cast from recycled metals: recycled sterling silver, or 18 karat gold plated over recycled jeweler's brass. Ethically crafted with a casting partner third-party certified by Sedex SMETA 4-Pillar.
Where to Find Astor & Orion in Seattle
If you like to try jewelry on before you buy it, visit BEGIN at 5349 Ballard Ave NW, a jewelry boutique on historic Ballard Avenue devoted to independent designers. They carry our pieces alongside work from other makers they've chosen with the same care.
Everything else lives on our site: designed here in Seattle, shipped everywhere. Start with The Designer's Ethical Jewelry Edit, the curated cut of the collection.
More Pacific Northwest Creatives Worth Knowing
Jewelry is just my corner of the Pacific Northwest's maker scene, and I'm constantly inspired by the people making things around me. Here are a few of my favorites.
Jen Vickers paints my favorite murals: if you've walked through Ballard and stopped at a wall of oversized flowers, you've probably already seen her work.
LA Wiltbank hand-paints apparel and wearable art on the Eastside: recycled denim, jackets, and one-of-a-kind painted pieces.
Prairie Underground makes sustainable women's and gender neutral clothing: hoodies and dresses designed and sewn in Seattle.
La Paisa turns vintage and repurposed materials into limited-edition upcycled streetwear: designer Natalia Montalvo's pieces run XS to 4XL. She also teaches sewing classes for those inspired to up cycle their own clothes.
Where to Start with Our Collection
The piece most people find us through is the Good Luck Charm Necklace, a small hand with its fingers crossed. It has been our best seller for years. Our charm necklaces get worn every which way, layered or on their own, and our hoops are probably what we're best known for. They're an easy pair to reach for every day.