Vegan Made
Did you know traditional jewelry making methods use tools and materials derived from animal products?
I'm vegan so you can rest assured my jewelry is intentionally made using no animal products. That means no rawhide mallets for hammering, no beeswax to lubricate my saw, no leather or suede sandbags for metal stamping, no animal fat compounds for polishing, and no leather, suede, or silk jewelry displays, packaging, and cords. There is also no leather or suede placed underneath the stones as some jewelers do to raise the stone height above the bezel.
Cat Paw Gems jewelry is 100% vegan!
In addition, a portion of all sales is donated to non-profits and rescue groups helping animals in need.
If you're a metalsmith looking to find vegan alternatives for tools and supplies, I've compiled a list of products and sources. If you have other recommendations, feel free to let me know! (Some links may not work if viewing this page from Instagram)
MalletSaw Lubricant
Rio Grande offers BurLife® saw and bur lubricants containing no animal products. They come in liquid, paste, or stick form and can be purchased individually or in a sample pack.
A quick google search will bring up sources for faux suede and leather cords such as Amazon, Etsy, and Fire Mountain Gems. I've also gotten them before at my local bead shop.
There are various material options available for jewelry displays and packaging, but if you prefer the leather and suede designs, there are many faux suede and leatherette options out there.