Sustainability

Sustainability is at the core of what we do at Mended with Gold. We believe that there is simply no way that we can do business and put materials out in the world without giving back to our planet. Here are the aspects of the business that we have worked on to reflect our values. 

Waste Reduction

Repair should be part of an object’s life cycle and we want to normalize this practice instead of throwing objects  out once they break. We created this kit to encourage ceramic enthusiasts to extend the life of their pieces after they break, and hope that this enriches our collective experience with the objects we surround ourselves with. 

Packaging

Our kit uses minimal packaging and comes in a reusable pouch. We want you to keep this kit in your artillery, just like you would with a sewing kit. 

Donations

1% of our annual revenue will be donated to an environmental organization of your choosing. Each year we will ask our community of followers to vote on an  environmental organization to which they would like to donate. 

Materials

Traditional Japanese kintsugi uses a mixture of rice power and a food-grade resin called urushi, which is extracted from the sap of the lacquer tree. The lacquer must be dried at a specific temperature and humidity level in order to set. Additionally, for kintsugi to be completely food safe, real gold powder must be used.  Source: 

That said, we also want to be upfront about the challenges we have come across and will continue to look for opportunities to improve work on these to improve on these as we develop our business. We are constantly on the lookout for better materials and solutions for this challenge, so please reach out if you have any ideas or connections.

Our kit comes with two-part epoxy and mica, which are not considered food safe, so please repurpose your bowls, cups and plates as non-food containers if this is what you will be repairing. We felt that our culture of overconsumption was the problem that we wanted to focus on. It is our goal is to make ceramic repair accessible to a broader population. If we had chosen urushi and real gold, these materials would have been cost prohibitive, and would make ceramic repair too costly for most individuals.