About
Handmade to Last
Sustainability, Ethical Sourcing & Slow Fashion
In a world built around fast fashion and mass production, Melting Desert was created with a different intention: to make lasting pieces with intention and care for people and the environment.
Hi! We're Dani & Matt (aka Matt & Dani)
Dani designs and handmakes the jewelry, while Matt cuts and polishes many of the stones and other materials that we use in our jewelry! We live in Tucson, Arizona with our 3 Australian Cattle Dogs (heelers) and both work at Melting Desert Metal full-time. Some things we love: Jeep overlanding, hiking, trying new restaurants and being bullied by our heelers.
Melting Desert Origins
Melting Desert originally started in 2016 as a sales channel for my pyrography and hand-drawn graphic tee designs, which we also screen printed (see above). Melting Desert went through a couple seasons; We sold and displayed artwork at friends' restaurants in Sedona (my hometown), rented space in an artist collective in Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall, and started screen printing B2B. By 2020, I had burnt myself out from pyrography (pun intended) and was looking for other creative outlets that could challenge and excite me. Since high school, I had an interest in silversmithing and my mind kept coming back to that.
Silver Obsession
In high school, I took a ceramics class from Mr. Geoffrey Worssam, who allowed me to explore any medium I wanted as long as I completed my ceramics assignments. That set my little artist heart free; I made all kinds of things between my ceramics assignments, including lost wax cast rings. The ring in the photo above is from 2010 and is one of the first rings I ever made! was interested in making rings purely because I have thick fingers and most styles I found came in itty bitty sizes, which didn't fit. So, why not make my own? And so started an interest in silver rings and jewelry collecting. But that experience (and class) stuck with me.
My First Rings
In 2021, I finally pulled the trigger and invested all the basic tools and materials needed to make stacker rings and I soldered my very first sterling silver rings (above). And so began Melting Desert Metal. I'm entirely self-taught, so there has been a lot of trial and error and even more skill-building. I have a very strong eye for detail and set very high standards for myself, so I quickly learned how to create high-quality jewelry built to last. Those that had supported my artwork began supporting my jewelry, which allowed me to continue to invest in more tools, materials, skill building, etc. More and more followed suit, and here I am almost half a decade later. A jeweler.
Melting Desert Metal
Melting Desert Metal is more than a small business or brand to me - it's the channel from which I've shared my handmade creations with the world for the past decade. I've learned so much, while also learning that I'll never know enough. Pouring myself into this heart-fueled small business is what led me to business school, where I studied Operations & Supply Chain Management and Management Information Systems. I graduated in winter 2024 from Eller College of Management at U of A and am now applying much of what I learned (and ignoring the rest, like a good entrepreneur) to my own business. I'm still in Tucson, building community and sharing my handmade items locally and online. Show Less
Melting Desert Metal
We prioritize traceable materials and suppliers who value transparency, fair wages, and ethical labor practices throughout the supply chain.
Every piece is handcrafted in small batches using primarily recycled .925 sterling silver. We mill our silver, cut many of our stones in-house and hand-fabricate each piece from start to finish. This slower, hands-on process allows us to create jewelry with intention while reducing waste and avoiding mass production methods that are so harmful.
Slow Fashion
Slow fashion values quality over quantity, mindful consumption over impulse buying and ethical production over convenience.
At Melting Desert, every piece is made intentionally, not rushed through large-scale manufacturing.
We prioritize:
• Small-batch production
• Handmade craftsmanship
• Ethical sourcing
• Sustainable practices
• Long-lasting materials
Rather than creating disposable jewelry tied to trends, we aim to create unique and expressive pieces people can wear for decades and pass on to the next generation.
Sustainability
The sterling silver we use is produced primarily from recycled silver and copper. Silver is one of the few materials that can be repeatedly repaired, melted down, and reused without losing its value or integrity.
Using recycled silver helps reduce environmental damage, lower energy consumption and lessen reliance on exploitative mining practices.
Our studio practices also prioritize sustainability wherever possible. Silver scraps, filings, and dust are collected for recycling or reuse, and waste materials are disposed of responsibly.
Ethical Sourcing
Our silver is recycled, traceable, and certified conflict-free. We source silver from audited secondary refineries that refine recycled metals rather than sourcing directly from newly mined material.
For stones and cabochons, we prioritize reputable lapidarists and miners selling rough material. Living in Tucson gives us access to the world’s largest gem and mineral show, allowing us to build relationships with reputable vendors and source materials more intentionally.
We also cut many stones in-house ourselves, giving us greater control over quality, craftsmanship, and material use.
Heirloom Quality
Jewelry should be made to stay with you. Sterling silver can be repaired, restored, and recycled again and again, allowing pieces to evolve rather than end up discarded.
Melting Desert Metal exists to create jewelry with lasting value; pieces made slowly, ethically and by hand, intended to be worn for years and passed down for generations.