Fair Trade Jewelry

Introduction:

The manufacturing group is an outcome of the Madison Dialogue. The purpose of the group is to develop standards for ethical international manufacturing. The group is diverse and international, representing a wide spectrum of experiences.

It is spearheaded at this point by Amanda Stark, Fair Trade Development of the Rapaport Group and Marc Choyt of Reflective Image, author of this blog.

If anyone wishes to learn more about the group or join it, contact me.

In the spirit of transparency, I will be posting on going discussions that occur.

Manufacturing Group Members:

Tags: CSR, Sustainability, Transparency, Change Agents, Jewelry Manufacturing, Ethics, Madison Dialogue // Add Comment »

INTRODUCTION:

“Luamba works in the brutal business known as artisanal mining, which accounts for as much as 90 percent of the country’s mineral exports,” writes Stephanie McCrummen of the Washington Post.

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Tags: Fair Trade, Spin, Ethics, Gold, Mining // Add Comment »

Introduction:

The ongoing marketing of “green” jewelry became a subject of conversation on the Madison Dialogue list serve. This list is composed of many of the leaders in the multi-sector initiative to clean up the jewelry supply chain.

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Tags: CSR, Spin, Ethical Initiatives, Fair Trade, Sustainability, Transparency, Change Agents, Madison Dialogue, Fair Trade Gems, F*R*E*, Ethics, Environment, Editorial // Add Comment »

Introduction:

Guest blogger and bench jeweler, Steve Gerencser returns to fairjewelry.org to post this insightful comment: The phrase “ethical jewelry” is divisive because, “somehow the people not following the newest trend are somehow unethical.” ~Marc

The use of the word, “ethical”, put forth in the Madison Dialogue to describe what is being attempted in the jewelry sector, is divisive. The implication for those of us who are not producing “ethical” jewelry is that somehow the people not following the newest trend are somehow unethical.

Many of us are working very hard to do the right thing to the best of our ability. By using the ethical tag it becomes nearly impossible to incorporate it in to our daily use at the showroom level because of the implied negative

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Tags: Spin, CSR, Fair Trade, Transparency, Change Agents, Madison Dialogue, Jewelry Manufacturing, Ethics, Diamonds // Add Comment »

An article by Jutarat Tongpiam that was released through Agence France in March, details why the Burmese gem boycott, which Jewelers of America and CRJP strongly advocate, is not an appropriate course of action. ~ Marc

“Jewellers associations from around the world plan to meet in Switzerland next month to draft a letter calling on the United States not to ban all sales of Myanmar gems,” said Vichai Assarasakron, President of the Thai Gem and Jewelry Association.

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Tags: Mining, Rubies // Add Comment »

The Diavik Mine in Canada’s NW Territories

Introduction:

Canadian diamonds have become the clear choice for many people who wish to avoid the African supply chain, even though many countries in Africa depend upon this resource to survive. This article, written by Alan Young and Larry Innes of the NGO, Canadian Boreal Initiative, points to the ecological damage of diamond mining in Canada.

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Tags: Environment, Transparency, Toxins, Ethics, Diamonds, Mining, Editorial // Add Comment »

Introduction:

Kirsten Hund is a Senior Scientist in the Sustainability Unit of SRK Consulting in Johannesburg, South Africa. This statement was part of a larger email correspondence in the Madison Dialogue. It brings another perspective to a recent theme on this blog: ActionAid’s critique on Anglo Platinum, Anglo’s Response, and Estelle Levin’s post on business models and sustainability. ~ Marc

Mining has the potential to bring

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Tags: Sustainability, CSR, Environment, Mining, Editorial // 1 Comment »

Page Neal is spearheading an initiative in the New York City Public Schools for talented minority students at the NYC Public Schools. The program provides training and opportunities in fashion design, including jewelry. You can read about her program below and also find out about how you can be of support. ~ Marc

Proposal Summary:

Limited preparatory curricula and career exposure at the pre-college educational levels have resulted in pervasive under-representation of and marginal career opportunities for many talented and capable students at New York City public schools who dream of pursuing careers in design, apparel-related, and business and marketing industries.

Many FIT departments lament the paucity of “historically under-represented” students

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Tags: Ethical Initiatives, Change Agents // Add Comment »

Introduction: This short essay on the myth and lore of Diamonds is part of a series I wrote earlier this year. ~ Marc

The diamond - a pure, essential form of carbon set in a ring, held by a man on his knees - represents commitment, fidelity and the beauty of matrimony. But the diamond has other traditions and uses as well, long forgotten.

According to Talmudic texts and a medieval Europe juror, a diamond’s sparking brilliance increases with innocence and dims with guilt. A woman can always ask

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Estelle Levin, Minerals and Sustainability Consultant based in the UK, writes here about corporate responsibility models as they relate to the jewelry sector. This insightful piece helps to clarify the many different perspectives that can seem at times quite chaotic to even someone such as myself who follows these issues closely.

This informal statement first appeared in the Madison Dialogue list sever, which is a multi-sector initiative to bring fair trade practices to the jewelry supply chain. Special thanks to Estelle for permission to reprint! ~ Marc

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Tags: Sustainability, CSR, Madison Dialogue, Editorial // 1 Comment »