A clean ocean collaboration
Dune Jewelry & Co. is teaming up with 4ocean to help keep our oceans clean! Together with Dune’s experienced artisans, we’ve designed a collection of fine sterling silver jewelry that funds our global ocean cleanup operation and transforms recovered ocean plastic into wearable keepsakes and heirlooms that you and your family will treasure forever.Every piece of jewelry is handcrafted in Dune’s Boston, Massachusetts, studio using hypoallergenic .925 sterling silver, hand-picked and ethically-sourced earth elements from Dune’s Sandbank, and certified 4ocean Plastic recovered by our captains and crews.
The Dune Sandbank
One of the world’s largest collections of sand and earth elements, Dune’s Sandbank features natural materials like sea shells, clay, soil, sand, stones, and flower petals from over 5,000 iconic and memorable locations around the world.
All elements in the Dune Sandbank are ethically collected by people just like you! Since 2010, Dune’s customers and community members have sent in sand and earth elements from vacations, weddings, honeymoons, and other special occasions to capture their personal experiences.
There are often extra elements leftover once their custom pieces are created. In fact, a single cup of any element can be used to make over 1,000 designs. To ensure no materials go to waste, Dune authenticates all unused material before adding them to the Sandbank so other customers can add these elements to their own custom designs.
Opihi shells sourced from Hawaiʻi with extra care
One thing you’ll never find in Dune’s Sandbank is sand from Hawai'i. As a response to erosion caused by the massive dredging that occurs to build luxury resorts, Hawai'i passed a law in 2013 that makes it illegal to remove sand of any kind from the islands, even the sand stuck to your feet.
While empty shells and shell fragments are still legal to take off the island, opihi limpet shells are important to Hawaiian culture and can only be harvested under certain conditions.
All of the opihi shells used in our jewelry were ethically harvested by a native Hawaiian who shared a single meal’s worth of shells with Dune after serving this delicacy to her family from her home on the island of Oʻahu.
Even that small amount will keep Dune’s sandbank stocked with opihi shells for years to come, which makes it possible to craft beautiful jewelry that captures the essence of the islands without causing cultural or ecological harm.