Pandora has opened a $150 million factory in Ho Chi Minh City that will run entirely on renewable electricity and use only recycled gold and silver. The plant will produce up to 60 million pieces annually, increase capacity by about 50% and reduce Pandora's carbon footprint by roughly 17%. Scaling recycled-metal use can cut mining demand and emissions but requires stronger supply chains, rigorous auditing and cleaner energy across refining and recovery operations.
Pandora Opens $150M Renewable-Powered Jewelry Factory in Ho Chi Minh City
Craftspersons create jewelry pieces at the Pandora factory in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam, Wednesday, Sept.30, 2026. (AP Photo/Hau Dinh)(AP Photo/Hau Dinh)
Danish jeweler Pandora has opened what it calls the world's largest fine-jewelry production facility in Ho Chi Minh City: a $150 million factory that will run entirely on renewable electricity and produce pieces using 100% recycled gold and silver.
A craftsperson holds up a ring for inspection at the Pandora factory in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam, Wednesday, Sept.30, 2026. (AP Photo/Hau Dinh)(AP Photo/Hau Dinh)
A Big Step Toward Cleaner Jewelry Manufacturing
The new plant is designed to produce up to 60 million pieces of jewelry per year, boosting Pandora's manufacturing capacity by roughly 50% and, the company says, cutting its corporate carbon footprint by about 17%. CEO Berta de Pablos-Barbier said the expansion aims to increase flexibility and supply-chain resilience after 37 years of manufacturing in Thailand.
Craftspersons create jewelry pieces at the Pandora factory in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam, Wednesday, Sept.30, 2026. (AP Photo/Hau Dinh)(AP Photo/Hau Dinh)
"We are leading the way and we really hope that the rest follow," said Pablos-Barbier.
Why Vietnam?
Pandora chose Vietnam for its skilled artisan workforce, strong infrastructure and a business environment supportive of manufacturers. The Ho Chi Minh City facility will employ about 7,000 workers and is sited to take advantage of growing local renewable-energy capacity, including rooftop solar and planned sourcing from nearby solar farms.
A model holds up a bracelet charm with trinkets of Vietnamese map and flags at the Pandora factory in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam, Wednesday, Sept.30, 2026. (AP Photo/Hau Dinh)(AP Photo/Hau Dinh)
Renewables And Broader Context
Vietnam expanded its solar and wind capacity rapidly and — by the end of 2024 — had the largest installed solar and wind capacity in Southeast Asia. Still, the country continues to rely significantly on coal to power a booming economy. Authorities plan to phase out coal-fired plants around 2040 as Vietnam works toward net-zero emissions by 2050.
Pandora CEO Berta de Pablos-Barbier, right, speaks with Danish Ambassador to Vietnam Lina Gandlose Hansen as they visit the factory in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam, Thursday, Oct.1, 2026. (AP Photo/Hau Dinh)(AP Photo/Hau Dinh)
Recycled Metals And Supply-Chain Challenges
Pandora switched to 100% recycled gold and silver for new jewelry in August 2024. The company sources refined metal grains from recyclers across Europe and Asia, recovered from items ranging from medical devices to cutlery. Pandora's chief sustainability officer, Mads Twomey-Madsen, said the company initially absorbed a price premium to help build a reliable recycled-metal supply chain with suppliers and refiners.
Experts caution that scaling recycled-metal use requires rigorous traceability and auditing. Saleem H. Ali of the United Nations University noted risks such as newly mined metal being mixed into recycled batches and the difficulty of tracing metal once it has been melted.
Environmental And Health Considerations
Recovering precious metals from e-waste and other waste streams is a major opportunity but also a health and environmental risk. Global e-waste totaled an estimated 62 million metric tons in 2022 and could rise to about 82 million metric tons by 2030. Informal processing can expose workers to toxic substances — lead, mercury and cadmium among them — and artisanal gold mining remains a leading source of mercury pollution worldwide.
Industry Impact
Twomey-Madsen estimated that if the jewelry industry broadly adopted recycled gold and silver, it could avoid roughly 58 million metric tons of CO2 annually — an amount comparable to the yearly emissions of New York City. Pandora says its longer-term goal is to power energy-intensive steps across its supply chain with clean energy as well.
Reporting by Associated Press correspondent Arpan Ghosal; company statements and industry data as cited.
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