Jewellery - an accessory that usually belongs to the upper echelons of fashion - is an unlikely pretext for droll subjects like the environment or philanthropy.

Couple that with issues like the conflict diamonds controversy, or the environmental impact of precious metal-mining, and the notion of "baubles for a cause" becomes as believable as any rom-com plot.

But it's precisely these reasons that three home-grown labels are melding seemingly antithetical concepts - creating jewels to bling up glamazons and shed light on worthy causes - through unique business models.

Behind the sparkle of each recherche design is a darker story about its origins.

This year alone has seen the launch of Saught, a brand of jewellery made from deactivated landmine weapons; and Edge of Ember, a label created by a credit trader turned jewellery designer that supports local craftsmen.

They follow in the footsteps of designer Choo Yilin, who founded a high-end sustainable jewellery brand five years ago to support artisans in northern Thailand's Karen hill tribe.

"The retail industry operates under very little transparency, but the unethical practices of the jewellery and high fashion industries have a very high profile as they come under a lot of attack from the media - such as jewellery makers' use of blood diamonds, or luxury products created in sweatshops," says Ms Choo, when asked why luxury brands are in a rush to boost their environmental and social credentials.

"Obviously, the public doesn't want to be associated with such atrocities. So there's a lot of pressure from consumers to adopt more ethical practices."

Enter the likes of Ms Choo to meet the demand for guilt-free luxury.

Currently pursuing her MBA at the London Business School in the United Kingdom, she has since expanded her company's sustainability efforts by working on projects such as the World Wildlife Fund's My Baby Tree campaign, whereby each purchase of a bronze leaf necklace from e-retailer www.doorstepluxury.com will see a baby tree planted in Lombok, Indonesia.

All of the brand's gold and silver jewellery are also made from reclaimed metals obtained from refining fields in Thailand, which melt down metals from unwanted electronic products, circuit-boards and jewellery that has been tossed out.

She also uses precious stones with inclusions that may otherwise be discarded for their lack of clarity.

Similarly, a brand-new outfit by Singapore-born Lynette Ong, works with non-profit organisations in Cambodia, Nepal, Vietnam and Indonesia to create her collection of statement drop earrings and multi-chain sautoir necklaces.

The organisations train and employ young women rescued from the sex industry, victims of landmines and other underprivileged villagers to work as artisans employed under local fair trade conditions.

For Ms Ong, a former investment banker who is based in Hong Kong, supporting artisans through self-sustainable employment is simply a by-product of creating gorgeous jewellery with local craftsmen.

"It was my travels through Asia, during which I saw many beautiful artworks and jewellery handcrafted by local artisans, that inspired me to start Edge of Ember," she says.

"The artisans in developing communities boast a solid skill set in crafts, jewellery-making and metalsmithing, so it was a very natural evolution for me to take the socially responsible route."

Apart from also donating 10 per cent of all sales proceeds to Asian charities, Ms Ong uses metals recycled from remnants of Cambodian brass bombshells, as well as materials sourced by artisans themselves, in her designs.

For example, the label's oversized buffalo horn bangles are made in a village south of Hanoi, where villagers collect discarded buffalo horns from slaughterhouses for the jewellery.

Ms Ong explains: "It is an up-cycling of waste, rather than a situation where buffalos are being harvested for their horns."

Another jewellery marque to have tapped on the up-cycling model is Saught, a new start-up by three friends, Pamela Yeo, Ng Sook Zhen and Adeline Heng.

It also employs scrap metal from deactivated weapons for its jewellery designs, and donates 10 per cent of profits towards mine-clearing operations in Cambodia and aids inhabitants of post-conflict countries.

To date, 100 jewellery pieces have been sold since the company was launched in February.

The business idea came about when Ms Ng, an analyst at an American securities firm, was backpacking in the remote regions of Laos.

There, she saw locals use scrap metal from war remnants for building fences and creating household items such as cutlery, and became inspired to employ similar materials for creating jewellery.

The trio then worked with students from Temasek Polytechnic's School of Design and had them handmade in Cambodia.

And not only are the women behind these jewellery labels savvy and creative entrepreneurs, they also know how to raise awareness for their pet causes by communicating the tales behind their trendy sparklers.

"We started with the metal and its unique story," says Pamela Yeo, founder of Saught and a law graduate undergoing training at a local firm.

"From there, we found that jewellery was one of the most accessible forms to communicate with people, and was the best way for the metal to be given a voice. Also, it allows creative freedom for designers to interpret the transformative story of war to peace in their pieces."

The efforts of these jewellers may not be instantly translated into headline-making profits, but they won't go unnoticed.

In fact, such stylish endeavours will certainly provoke jewellery lovers into thinking about issues beyond what to wear today, one reclaimed metal pendant at a time.

This article was first published in The Business Times.