Here at QALO, we love to find ways to incorporate our passion for quality silicone with ways we can make the world a better place. Whether it’s through love of people or animals, we want to show how much we care. That desire shines through in all our products. For couples who want to explore alternatives to metal and diamond engagement rings, we know that our selection of sustainable rings stands at number one. If you’re wondering whether or not alternative rings are right for you, we’ve put together this ultimate guide to walk you through all the benefits of not only choosing non-metal rings for your engagement but also sustainable ones. WHAT DOES SUSTAINABLE EVEN MEAN? That’s a great question — one we get a lot. When you hear anyone talk about something being sustainable, it’s typically referring to the sustainability movement. This movement prioritizes longevity and multi-use items over single-use ones. Sustainable items are ones that are made to last and be reused or repurposed in new ways. This movement isn’t new — sustainability has been around for about half a century, first coined by the UN at the Conference on the Human Environment. Over time, the movement has gained traction, and now almost every progressive company that’s eco-friendly incorporates some level of sustainability to its operations. THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABILITY Climate change is a real and dangerous threat to humanity. The EPA projects numerous changes to the Earth within the next century. From sea level rise to more severe storms, the changes are vast and will have huge impacts on daily living. With the sustainability movement, that can change. While it won’t stop climate change from happening, it can decrease the effects. Instead of seeing massive amounts of trash in the oceans, sustainable items are reused and repurposed. For example, our sustainable wedding rings for women are made from plants. Because they’re made from organic material, they’re compostable! By being made from plants, this allows the rings to be used for something else. This is the perfect example of a sustainable item. Sustainable items are typically made from higher quality as well. That’s also why you might pay a bit more for them. Oh, who are we kidding? You’ll pay a lot more for sustainable and eco-friendly items than you would non-sustainable ones. And, while it might seem like a huge amount at first, you have to consider some additional factors: LONGEVITY Sustainable items are built to last. Non-sustainable items will only last for a few months or years before you need to replace them. We see this often in apparel. Just when you’ve gotten your favorite pair of jeans to feel soft and no longer stiff like when you bought them, you wear out the fabric in the thighs and they rip. With sustainable items, you’ll be able to get many more years of wear and tear before needing to consider how you’re going to repurpose the item or patch it up. PRODUCTION Producing sustainable items isn’t cheap. Since you’re using quality raw materials and aren’t skimping on the way things are made, sustainable items take more time to make and cost more to create. This contributes to the total amount of money that you’ll pay for a sustainable item. Until all businesses, especially large corporations, are required to source and produce their items ethically and sustainably, then sustainable items will always cost more than non-sustainable ones. Shop Our Stackable Wedding Ring Options WAGES Sustainable companies tend to pay their employees livable wages and utilize ethical workplace standards. This might make the product a bit more expensive. While it isn’t the sole reason for a product costing more than its non-sustainable counterpart, it’s still a factor. And, for many people choosing to shop sustainably, spending a bit more on the front end to ensure someone who crafted a piece of apparel or other item gets treated fairly and paid well is a small price compared to the bigger picture. Sustainability is an important part of working toward a cleaner planet. Sustainable items have purpose, and they can be reused or repurposed in a variety of ways. You can’t go wrong with incorporating sustainable items into your lifestyle! BEYOND APPAREL: SUSTAINABILITY IN ACCESSORIES We’ve already mentioned our sustainable rings. Did you know they’re available for both men and women? That’s right — our men’s wedding rings are also available with sustainable materials. No matter what type of ring you’re looking for, you can find a sustainable option with us here at QALO. Our sustainable rings have just as many great features as our original silicone rings. These ones have an added bonus of being compostable and made from bioplastics. Even the packaging is compostable. If you’re looking for reasons to live a more sustainable lifestyle, then you’ve just found the main one. Sustainability goes beyond apparel. And, in wedding rings, it brings a whole new meaning to “everlasting love.” There are so many parallels you can make between the meaning of sustainability and the meaning of marriage. While the history of wedding rings is more about the commercialization of commitment, the similarities between sustainability and marriage is not. Where sustainable rings are organic, so is your love for your partner. Their purpose shifts with time, just like how your relationship will go through changes as your needs and situations shift. These parallels can help you to ascribe more meaning to your rings, especially if you’re struggling to understand why it’s important in your relationship. FINDING THE RIGHT ENGAGEMENT RING No matter what type of ring you choose, it can seem difficult to find the right one at first. If you’ve never searched for engagement rings before, even on a casual browse with your partner, then all the options can seem vastly overwhelming. Finding the right engagement ring does take some time, but when it comes to sustainable shopping, we’ve made it easy by simplifying the amount of available colors. This way, you can focus on what really matters — the reasons you want to spend the rest of your life with this person and take your relationship to the next level. When you start to look for an engagement ring, here are some things you’ll want to consider: YOUR BUDGET In a traditional engagement ring shopping experience, you might hear the phrase “three months’ salary.” This is in reference to a marketing campaign that focused on getting young men to spend more money on larger-sized diamond engagement rings under the guise that a bigger diamond somehow signified bigger love. DeBeers transformed an entire industry with this strategy but, as inflation has risen over the decades, diamond rings are much more expensive than they were in the past. Many couples can’t realistically afford luxury diamond engagement rings, especially since wages haven’t increased to match the rise in inflation either. Your budget is a huge factor in how you search for an engagement ring. Even if your partner is someone who likes the flashy and opulent, your budget will reign supreme in the decision-making process. THEIR STYLE Your partner is the one wearing the ring, so it should be a reflection of them. Even when choosing from our limited selection of eco-friendly ring colors, you’ll still want to select the one that best aligns with their style and personality. While some people are bold and brash, others are timid and subtle. No matter who they are, they’re your partner, and you love them. Taking the time to consider their style will have an impact on whether or not you can find the right ring for them. Style is how we express ourselves, and their engagement ring will become part of their everyday look. It’s important that it matches their entire aesthetic. THEIR ACTIVITY LEVEL Your partner’s lifestyle is essential when you’re deciding on a ring for them. Do they like to rock climb? Maybe they prefer to spend their afternoons reading in a coffee shop. Or, maybe they run 5ks every other week. No matter their activity level, keep it in mind when browsing for engagement rings. Sustainable rings are great because they can be worn in all types of activities. However, your partner’s activity level is still something to consider as you shop. THEIR RING SIZE Do you know your partner’s ring size? If not, now’s the time to find out. You can ask them directly, take one of their current rings to a jeweler and have it sized, or you can measure their finger with string in their sleep. Regardless, choosing the right size will go a long way in making your ring shopping experience a breeze. There’s nothing worse than ordering a ring, having them try it on and it doesn’t fit. Then, you have to wait for a replacement! Of course, with our cost-effective rings, getting a replacement won’t break the bank. However, with traditional rings, you’ll have to pay to send the ring back, have it resized and shipped back to you. The turn-around for repair is longer too, as with our rings you’d simply reorder your ring in the right size. Find Your Ring Size Choosing a sustainable engagement ring from QALO means less hassle. With streamlined colors and slim styles, you’ll find their perfect engagement ring in no time. WEARING YOUR SUSTAINABLE ENGAGEMENT RING So, you’ve bought the ring, or you’ve said yes and now have a sustainable engagement ring to wear. But what does it mean? What’s the best way to care for your sustainable ring? What do you do with the packaging? Here are some tips on wearing your new sustainable ring: WASH IT REGULARLY While bioplastic rings don’t have as much buildup as traditional metal rings, you should still wash them regularly. Harmful bacteria and even viruses can linger on surfaces, so washing your ring can help to clear it away. Unlike metal rings, you can wear your sustainable ring in the shower, swimming or anywhere else that water might be involved. This is just another one of the many benefits to wearing a sustainable ring! To wash your ring, you can let it soak in warm, soapy water for a bit, or you can put it in the utensils section of your dishwasher and run a cycle. It’ll be fresh and clean in no time! WEAR IT EVERYWHERE Your sustainable ring is built with everyday activities in mind. Wear it while grocery shopping, doing laundry, gardening outside and even while traveling. It’s a much safer alternative to diamond or metal rings. Instead of worrying about your ring traveling safely, you can wear your sustainable ring without fear that it’ll get lost, stolen or even damaged. You can put your bioplastic ring in your carry-on, wear it through security or even while you’re road tripping. The low maintenance factor of a sustainable ring is one of its biggest draws. COMPOST THE PACKAGING As we’ve mentioned, the packaging for your ring is compostable, along with the ring itself! This is great no matter whether you’re a seasoned composter or you’re brand new to the process. Compost the packaging in your ring either in your backyard, the community garden in your neighborhood or even in your countertop bin if you have an apartment or virtually no yard. Mix it with your other composting ingredients, and sit back as the packaging breaks down and makes great natural fertilizer for your other plants. BE PREPARED TO ORDER MORE You’ll love your sustainable ring so much that you won’t want to stop there! Order all the rings in the collection to swap out for various functions and events. Once you start wearing a sustainable ring, you don’t want to stop. You’ll soon notice how many more sustainable items you’ll add into your home and personal style, all thanks to a quality eco-friendly ring from QALO. CHOOSING SUSTAINABILITY IS BEST FOR EVERYONE Sustainable engagement rings are just a piece in the large puzzle of the sustainability movement. Sustainability is best for everyone — and extending your passion for the planet into your physical symbolization for love and commitment is a great decision. Image Credits SergeyBitos/Shutterstock.com