Danish jewelry-maker Pandora is betting it can increase production while decreasing pollution tied to mining and energy use. According to The Associated Press, its new factory in Vietnam will use recycled metals and renewable power.
Here's what to know
Pandora says its new $150 million factory in Ho Chi Minh City is the world's largest fine-jewelry crafting facility. The AP reported that it will use recycled gold and silver and run on electricity from wind and solar.
Berta de Pablos-Barbier, the Pandora CEO, told the AP that the new plant could turn out as many as 60 million pieces per year. That would lift Pandora's manufacturing capacity by 50% and shrink the company's carbon footprint by 17%.
"We are leading the way and we really hope that the rest follow," de Pablos-Barbier said, per the AP.
The site is expected to employ 7,000 people. Its renewable power will come partly from rooftop panels and partly from planned deals with local solar farms.
After nearly four decades operating in Thailand, Pandora said Vietnam offered a way to make its manufacturing base more flexible and resilient while giving the company access to skilled artisans and strong infrastructure, according to the AP.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
More background
Jewelry manufacturing produces a sizable environmental footprint, especially when it relies on newly mined precious metals and carbon-heavy production.
The AP noted that wider use of recycled gold and silver could curb fresh mining, but doing so at scale depends on transparent sourcing and stable supply networks.
In 2024, Vietnam led Southeast Asia in installed solar and wind capacity, yet coal remains a major energy source for its rapidly expanding economy, the AP reported. About 20% of Vietnam's GDP comes from manufacturing, a sector that uses roughly half of the country's energy.
Denmark's ambassador to Vietnam, Lina Gandløse Hansen, said renewable-energy infrastructure is becoming an "important factor" for Pandora and other Danish companies when choosing where to build overseas manufacturing facilities.
What's being done?
Pandora is not the only high-profile company to place a large bet on renewable-energy manufacturing in Vietnam. Across the street from Pandora's new factory is Lego's $1 billion plant, which opened in 2025. According to Lego, that facility also uses 100% renewable energy from wind and solar, per the AP.
For its part, Vietnam has set a 2050 net-zero goal and intends to phase out coal-fired power plants by 2040.
If you want to support companies that have eco-friendly practices, you can do so by choosing their products over less-environmentally-friendly alternatives.
Where can I learn more?
Pandora and many other companies are considering their impact on the environment.
• Pandora's push toward recycled gold and silver is testing how transparent jewelry sourcing can scale.
• Shoppers can now find sustainable jewelry pieces under $100 without leaning on newly mined metals.
• In Kentucky, a proposed green aluminum smelter could remake heavy industry with lower-carbon power.
• In Tianjin, China, a fully automated recycling facility shows how factories can recover materials faster.
• ITC Ltd. says its second offsite solar plant will help drive low-carbon manufacturing.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
