Sustainability
At Ottoman Hands, we create timeless, sustainable, handmade jewellery that doesn't cost the earth.
Since launching in 2010, sustainability has shaped how we make our ethical jewellery. We work with recycled metals, partner only with workshops and suppliers we know and trust, and produce in small batches to avoid waste. We give back to causes that matter to us, and we're honest that this is ongoing work.
Here's where we stand today:
Our Hands
Our name comes from the artisans who make our jewellery. When our founder Deniz Gurdal started the brand, she found a small independent workshop in Istanbul's Grand Bazaar to bring her designs to life. We still work with the same craftspeople today, in the same Jewellery Quarter, to make every recycled brass piece. Our recycled sterling silver collection is handmade by a small, independent studio in India.
Fair, respectful treatment, working conditions and wages of the people who make our jewellery aren't negotiable. We only work with partners that share these values, and build long, direct relationships. We visit our workshops in person to check on working conditions, source materials and develop new collections together.
Our Materials
We choose materials with sustainability, quality and longevity in mind.
We use gold-plated recycled brass and recycled sterling silver across the majority of our collections, prioritising metals that suit the design and confirming their origin with our suppliers. The materials for each piece are listed on the product page, so you always know exactly what you're wearing.
Brass is highly sustainable and can be recycled many times without losing quality.
Our sterling silver comes from a different source: the silversmith's bench. The grinding and filing that shapes jewellery throws off filings, which we collect and melt back into sterling silver.
Jewellery production has an environmental impact. We aim to make considered choices, keep improving our materials and processes, and communicate our progress honestly.
Our Environment
Every online order ships carbon neutral, with emissions calculated per shipment using Planet. Unlike many programmes, Planet prioritises removal over offsetting, funding real, measurable CO2 extraction rather than paying to avoid future emissions elsewhere.
We plant one mangrove tree in Kenya for every order, through EarthLungs Reforestation Foundation and Veritree, in partnership with The Good API. Mangrove reforestation restores natural habitats, improves coral reef health, supports local livelihoods, and absorbs carbon from the air.
Our boxes and gift bags are made from FSC Mix certified paper: at least 70% recycled, the remainder virgin fibre from responsibly managed forests.
Our jewellery pouches are 100% cotton, with no foam or velour inserts, making our packaging plastic-free, fully recyclable and biodegradable, as nice to receive as it is kind to the environment.
Our Product
Craftsmanship and longevity are at the heart of everything we do. We craft in small batches, which means we don’t overproduce: every piece we make gets worn and loved - never a one-trend wonder.
Every Ottoman Hands piece bought on our site is covered by a one-year warranty, with valid proof of purchase. If a manufacturing fault, like a breakage or tarnishing, happens in that time, we'll replace it quickly and at no cost. Because the most sustainable piece of jewellery is the one you keep wearing on repeat, not saving for best.
Our Community & Initiatives
As a female-founded, female-led brand, we believe business should be a force for good. We support causes that matter to us, through direct partnerships with the likes of Turquoise Mountain and through Work for Good, who help us raise funds and awareness for independent charities and initiatives close to our hearts.
Turquoise Mountain
Founded in 2006 by HM King Charles III, Turquoise Mountain works directly with artisan communities in Afghanistan, Jordan, Myanmar, Palestine and Saudi Arabia to protect and revive traditional craft skills and cultural heritage - work we recognise in our own workshops. Our founder, Deniz Gurdal, partnered with Turquoise Mountain to create an Afghan-inspired collection, handcrafted entirely in Kabul using traditional techniques and semi-precious gemstones.
Young Women's Trust
Young Women's Trust champions young women at the start of their careers, closing gaps in pay, opportunity and confidence through free coaching, honest feedback on job applications, and a growing network of thousands of young women supporting each other across the UK.
Trillion Trees
A joint initiative between BirdLife International and WWF, Trillion Trees protects and restores forests worldwide, funding conservation projects, backing research, and pushing for the policy change needed to end deforestation.
MicroLoan Foundation
Across Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, MicroLoan Foundation puts capital and training directly into the hands of women entrepreneurs, helping their businesses, and the communities around them, thrive.
Royal Trinity Hospice
Faulty or unwanted stock doesn't go to waste, we donate it to Royal Trinity Hospice, raising over £29K to support their care since 2018.
We're proud of the progress we've made, but we know sustainability isn't a box to tick - it's ongoing work. We'll keep sharing what we're doing, what we're learning, and where we still have further to go.
