The World is changing and there is a continued focus on our natural resources and how we can do more with what we have. We are now striving towards creating less waste, recycling more, repurposing items and generally doing the right thing by the environment.
This is clear in the way we people live their lives, everything from greener cars, managing our CO2 emissions to the smaller things, such as making sure we recycle where possible our household waste.
Their used to be a stigma about being Eco Friendly, “damn hippies” or other terms where used, today it is the right thing to do and everyone is trying to do their part.
Our handcrafted Jewellery industry has done this for many years, many artists creating stunning pieces out of left over parts or recycling or repurposing materials. Once such area is wooden ring making, it is very common to find people making amazing pieces of jewellery from off cuts, waste products of lumber.
In wooden mills and lumber yards, all across the land off cuts and waste of wondrous woods are often cast aside as being of no use, but this is where the handcrafted wooden ring maker can use these pieces otherwise destined for burning or just waste to make his products.
A range and types of lumber are used, but the best type are any of the hardwoods. The hardwoods have better grain patterns and will a much longer life than the softwoods. The most common hardwoods used would be the Walnuts, Oaks, Ash’s and Rosewood as these are found in abundance and can be repurposed very easily. Many artists can offer other varieties as well with some offering customs rings where they will source the lumber you want for your ring if you have a special request.
Once these materials are in the crafts man hands, the skill is turning them into fantastic pieces of jewellery. The wood usually has a highly polished on the outside to show of the natural beauty of the wood to its best. Letting the grain and colours of the wood shine through (the walnut ranges really are one of the most impressive in this area). As wood is a natural product, no two rings are alike, the different grains and the imperfections of the wood make them all unique and amazing. Ringsmaker