Pandora Opens World's Largest Jewelry Factory on Green Power

The world's largest jewelry brand just proved you can grow bigger while leaving a smaller footprint.

Pandora opened its newest factory in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, creating 7,000 jobs while running completely on renewable electricity. The $150 million facility will craft 60 million pieces of jewelry each year, boosting the Danish company's production by half.

This marks Pandora's first factory outside Thailand since the company started manufacturing there in 1989. CEO Berta de Pablos-Barbier says the expansion gives Pandora flexibility to create all its collections using every crafting technique the brand offers.

The timing couldn't be better. Pandora sold 112 million pieces in 2025, which breaks down to more than three items every single second.

But here's what makes this expansion different. Every piece rolling off the production line uses 100% recycled gold and silver, a switch Pandora completed in 2024.

Gold turns out to be perfectly designed for endless reuse. "In many ways, it is designed for a circular economy. It doesn't oxidize. That's why it's so valuable," explains Saleem H. Ali, a researcher at the United Nations University. "We still have the gold from the ancient Egyptians in pretty good shape."

The recycling process still needs energy for refining and purifying metals. That's why Pandora's renewable electricity commitment matters so much, and the company plans to push suppliers toward clean energy too.

The Ripple Effect

This factory represents more than one company going green. The jewelry market is booming, with sales forecast to grow 4.1% annually through 2028, about four times faster than clothing.

When industry leaders show that scaling up doesn't require scaling back environmental commitments, it creates a new standard. Pandora's move from a small Copenhagen shop in 1982 to the world's largest jewelry brand proves sustainable practices can support serious growth.

The road ahead isn't without challenges. Pandora faces pressure from US tariffs and economic uncertainty in its largest market. The company's past includes labor disputes at its Bangkok facility that raised questions about worker treatment.

Whether Pandora can balance rapid expansion with both environmental protection and workers' rights will define more than just one factory's success, it could chart the course for an entire industry learning to grow responsibly.