A few days ago, I published an article on the impact of jewelry on the environment. It's quite incredible the resources that go into creating a basic diamond ring and the amount of toxins that can be released into the environment from associated mining and crafting processes.

Yesterday, one of my daughters came home with a new ring - it was a beautifully hand-painted piece. I asked her what it was made of. Wood!

The thought had never crossed my mind - I'd never seen a wooden ring before! On doing some more research I found there's many artisans throughout the world who create wooden rings. Some craftsfolk don't bother painting the rings, but use the woods' own beauty, sometimes combining several different types of wood to create the pieces - it's really amazing work.

An example of a company creating wooden rings is Touch Wood Rings. In their gallery, you'll see samples of made from Oak, Black wood, Birch, Hawaiian Koa, Juniper heart wood, Blue Spruce, Black Walnut and many other species.

The ring pictured above was crafted by Touch Wood Rings from three different types of wood -  grenadilla, blue spruce and juniper.

An environmentally sustainable jewelry alternative, each Touch Wood Ring is custom designed. These rings could make for a very special and unique gift for your loved one!

Aside from Touch Wood Rings, you'll find many hundreds of artisans offering this environmentally friendly jewelry alternative - hit your favorite search engine and take a look around at the incredible range of creations!