Resources
Here you will find links to people in the trade doing Outstanding Work in their field. To add your company, send us an email telling us what you are doing in your field to support Fair Trade, Fair Trade Jewelry, Socially Responsible Business and Eco-Friendly Manufacturing.
Manufacturers and Retailers Making A Difference
I have created this list of dedicated, passionate people who are doing business based on core values. Please note that this is an ongoing list. If my description is inaccurate, please let me know and I will update it. We’ll start with our company and then go alphabetical:
Reflective Images Inc. (Manufacturer, Retail, Wholesale, Author of this website)
www.celticjewelry.com
Conflict Free Diamonds
www.artisanweddingrings.com
www.circlemanifesto.com
We are a Designer Jewelry company manufacturing in the US and outsourcing component parts to a fair trade manufacturer in Indonesia. We use recycled gold and silver, fair trade gems when possible and practice a wide range of eco-friendly policies.
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1700 Ocean (Manufacturer & Retailer)
www.1700ocean.com
A very different shopping experience. From their mission Statement: “The products designed by us or artists we choose to represent will be brought to you via a visible supply chain. In other words we will not, or can not support anyone or company who takes advantage ecologically, economically or inhumanely to bring their products to market.”
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Lori Bonn Design (Manufacturers and Wholesaler)
www.loribonn.com
Bonn and her husband, Bill Gallagher have a company that is a great example of a highly ethical, eco friendly, fair trade socially responsible manufacturing.
They have started their own website, devoted to this cause at: http://www.clearconsciencejewelry.org/
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Brilliant Earth (Retailer)
www.brilliantearth.com/
Brilliant Earth’s mission focuses on three equally important facets:
Providing Quality, Fostering Change and Promoting Growth. Brilliant Earth believes that luxury goods need not come at great human or environmental cost. They donate 5% of their profits to the ‘Diamonds for Africa’ to help communities who have suffered from unethical practices in the jewelry industry.
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Cred Jewelers (Manufacturer, Retail, Wholesale)
www.cred.tv/
Greg Velario, based in the UK, is a exemplary leader in the fair trade and socially responsible jewelry movement. Over the last ten years, he is deeply involved with ARM (Association for Responsible Mining, see below in Mining section), which is working with FLO (Fair Trade Labelling Organization) to produce fair trade precious metal in several developing countries. He also has his own foundation to support programs for the poor.
He fabricates beautiful jewelry, particularly his classic wedding rings, which he shows on his website. His website is an excellent example of how to integrate these values into a well honed market presentation.
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Dene Design (Manufacturer)
http://www.denedesign.com/
Michelle Dene writes on her website: “From earth to export, I am dedicated to Fair Trade manufacturing protocol, using the most ethical methods available, to have a positive impact in every aspect of the jewelry making process..”
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Fair Gems (Manufacturer and Retail)
http://www.fair-jewelry.com/
This firm was specifically created to initiating a movement toward fair trade. They also produce their own jewelry line and are involved in an eco-gold mining operation.
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Green Karat (Manufacturer & Retail)
www.greenkarat.com
Green karat, is firmly committed to using recycled gold and adhering to strong environmental standards. They do a lot of custom wedding ring business.
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Leber Jewelers (Retail)
http://www.leberjeweler.com
Brian Leber of Leber Jewelers is a third generation, independent jeweler in Western Springs, IL. Leber Jewelers was the first jewelry store to offer socially-conscious and eco-friendly alternatives to items made with conflict diamonds, unfair labor practices, and environmentally damaging mining. They have developed the Earthwise Jewelry® Collection featuring Canadian diamonds, fair trade gemstones, and recycled metals.
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Lucina Jewelry (Retailer and Importer)
http://www.lucinajewelry.com
This company is working with fair trade sources from several countries and supporting international women’s issues. Their mission includes creating, “beautiful accessories that carry beautiful stories of resiliency, hope, and opportunity from around the world.”
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Moon Rise Jewelry (Retail and Manufacturer)
http://www.moonrisejewelry.com/
Their mission is to produce high quality jewelry that contributes to a healthier global community. They offer a great selection of fair trade gems on their pieces which are manufactured around the Chesapeake bay area. Check out their excellent rating system.
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Toby Pomeroy (Designer and Manufacturer)
http://www.tobypomeroy.com/
Toby’s environmental concerns over “dirty gold” led him to write to Hoover and Strong, which responded by creating their “Eco Gold” products. Toby uses only reclaimed metal to create all his designer jewelry.
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Gem and Mining Resources: (There are many companies in the firstworld that are producing environmentally responsible gems, but I focus here on those I know that are doing the mining in developing countries.)
Gems
Columbia Gem House & Eric Braunwart (Wholesale)
www.columbiagemhouse.com
Eric offers perhaps the largest section of fair trade gems available. He has developed criteria and an extensive program behind his work and has his own fair trade mine. He was one of the earliest to get involved with fair trade issues and remains one of its most important spokesman. He also has Tri-Gem Designs, home of Fair Trade Gems at fairtradegems.com
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The Rapaport Group (Diamond Industry)
http://www.diamonds.net/” http://www.diamonds.net/
Martin Rapaport, founder of the Rapaport Group. Martin sponsors the Fair Trade meetings that he held at the JCK Shows. He is currently trying to lay the infrastructure for fair trade diamonds mining out of Sierra Leone.
The Rapaport Group hired Amanda Stark whose title in the organization is “Fair Trade Development.”
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Ronald Ringsrud Co (Emeralds)
www.emeraldmine.com
Supporting charity projects in Colombia for over 15 years. In 2005, Ronald was invited to a ground breaking meeting in Washington DC, hosted by the World Bank and CASM (Communities and Small-scale Mining). In that meeting Fair Trade guidelines for diamonds and colored stones were set. Ron is now working with Fedesmeraldas (National Federation of Colombian Emeralds) in Bogota to establish Fair Trade practices in Colombia.
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Mining
The Association for Responsible Mining, ARM (Independent, global-scale effort, and pioneer initiative)
www.communitymining.org/
Created as an international and multi-institutional organization to bring credibility, transparency and legitimacy to the development of a framework for responsible artisanal and small-scale mining. They are currently producing certified “green gold” in developing countries.
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Hoover and Strong (Refininers and Raw Materials)
www.hooverandstrong.com/
This company, in business for nearly a hundred years, is the preferred metal source for many jewelers concerned about “dirty gold.” Hoover and Strong sells only “Ecogold” which stands for gold refined in the most environmentally friendly fashion possible.
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Additional Green and Fair Trade Sites of Interest:
Coop America’s National Green Pages
A closely screened listing of businesses offering Green Products and Services. Perhaps one of the most complete in the Western Planet.
Contains a large variety of Green Consumer Oriented Primarily Sites. A great source to get a sense of the Green World Out There.
