Designing Sustainable Jewelry

July 30, 2026
A pair of earrings made from wood shavings dangle from a tree branch.

Jill Schmid ’26 (industrial design) brought jewelry she made at RIT to the world stage after being named a finalist for Kering’s Generation Award X Jewelry. For the competition, select designers around the world were invited to make a piece or collection of sustainable jewelry. With her Acacia earrings, Schmid found a new, stunning purpose for wood shavings.

She presented her sustainable jewelry in July at Kering’s Paris headquarters during Haute Couture Week. The experience led to an internship offer at DoDo Jewels, the Milan, Italy-based jewelry house part of the Kering group.

Wood-shaving earring on a person's ears.

Photo by Elizabeth Lamark

A pile of wood shavings.
Sketches for an earring design for a sustainable jewelry competition.

More Featured Profiles and Work

All Featured Profiles and Work