All of my jewelry is either naturally nickel free or meets the EU (European Union) Nickel Directive. You will always know from my product details what materials were used.
The term hypoallergenic means "below the normal level" of allergenic. The term was coined by the cosmetics industry in the 1950s and became a popular marketing term for jewelry soon afterward. Sometimes "nickel free" and "hypoallergenic" are confused as being synonymous, but this is not true. Hypoallergenic does not mean nickel free, nor does it have a legal or medical definition for use in jewelry. This is why I use components that are either naturally nickel free or meet the EU Nickel Directive.
The term "nickel free" can be confusing since jewelry marked nickel free is still allowed to contain a very small amount of nickel - so small it takes extremely sensitive instruments to measure it.
There is no US standard for nickel in jewelry. There is no legal or medical definition of "nickel free" or "hypoallergenic" jewelry in the US - jewelry can be sold with those labels but still have nickel. Therefore, to be safe, I only use jewelry components that either have no nickel by definition (e.g., copper or 925 sterling silver) or meet the EU Nickel Directive (see below). You will know what metals are used in my product descriptions for everything I create.
The European Union's (EU) Nickel Directive limits the amount of nickel that may be released onto the skin from jewelry and other products. The EU Directive's type of measurement is different than measuring the percentage of nickel that exists in an alloy's composition; it measures how much nickel will actually migrate to your skin - which is what you want to limit.
In the European Union, Jewelry marked as "nickel free" must meet the strict EU Nickel Directive. If you are sensitive to nickel, this is the best standard for you to use when purchasing "nickel free/hypoallergenic" mixed metal (alloys or plated). All of my jewelry meets the EU Nickel Directive (or is naturally nickel free).
These are metals or alloys that, by definition, do not contain any nickel. The jewelry I create is made from these nickel free metals or meets the EU Nickel Directive. The nickel free metals are:
STERLING SILVER is an alloy that does not contain any nickel, so it is wearable by virtually everyone. Sterling silver is made of at least 92.5% pure silver, thus the term "925 Sterling Silver" or ".925". Typically the remaining 7.5% consists of copper. The 92.5% of pure silver is why you sometimes see "925" stamped on sterling silver items (or "999" for fine silver, which is 99.9% pure silver). If you have an allergy to copper (which is extremely rare), be aware that sterling silver might be an issue for you.
Copper is an element and thus naturally nickel free. Tarnish-free (non-tarnish) copper is protected with a coating that keeps it from darkening or reacting with your skin to turn green. If it is not protected, it will darken and get a (possibly dark, possibly green) patina over time. This unprotected copper can discolor your skin when worn as snugly fitting rings or bracelets; this is not an allergic reaction. (An allergy to copper is rare, but if you are allergic to copper, it's important to know what metal alloys may contain copper.) For all of my copper jewelry, I state clearly in the description if it has been coated with a tarnish protectant, so you know what to expect. Some pieces are not coated because the beauty of the copper patina is part of the piece. Other pieces are coated to keep them shiny and bright or to keep the created patina or colors from darkening.
Titanium is an element and thus naturally nickel free. Titanium is frequently used in medical implants. If you would like titanium ear wires, please let me know, and I can change the ear wires for you.
14kt yellow gold is commonly made of the following materials: 58% pure gold, 25% pure silver, and 17% pure copper. This is true yellow gold jewelry, not gold-plated. If the price is too good to be true, it's gold-plated, which is likely to contain nickel. Be aware that white gold commonly contains nickel (added for both color and strength). I don't use white gold for any of my jewelry.
Alloys or plated items may contain nickel, so you need to be aware of what is in the alloy or under the plating if you buy plated or mixed metals. I only use metals that are naturally nickel free or meet the EU Nickel Directive explained above. You will always know from my product details what materials were used.
Here are types of metal that may have nickel if purchased elsewhere:
Surgical Stainless Steel used by most jewelry makers does contain a small percentage of nickel. However, according to the Mayo Clinic, it's generally well tolerated by those with a nickel allergy. If you are very sensitive, however, you may want to avoid surgical stainless steel (and stainless steel) unless stated that it specifically complies with the EU Nickel Directive. Jewelry that complies with the EU Nickel Directive has a much lower amount of nickel than regular "surgical" stainless steel. Because it does contain nickel, I don't use Surgical Stainless Steel for my jewelry.
REGARDING EARRINGS: If you have an allergy to nickel, you should be safe buying any of my earrings per the information above. But feel free to contact me about swapping out ear wires to your preferred metal if you wish.
You are always safe ordering because I have 100% Guaranteed Free Returns!
My mission is to create handmade jewelry celebrating the shapes and colors found in the natural world using materials and practices that are eco-friendly, sustainable and ethical while giving back to protect our planet.
And, always using hypoallergenic, skin-safe materials so everyone can wear these miniature works of natural art regardless of allergies.
