GreenYour.com

Choose fairly traded gem jewelry to spruce up your wardrobe with bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and the like that have been crafted by artisans working under fair labor and wage conditions. Not only are fairly traded gems ethically sourced, but they're most likely acquired with the well-being of the planet in mind.

Find it! Fairly traded gem jewelry designers and retailers

On the prowl for a blinged-out birthstone? Seeking out sapphire earrings for an upcoming wedding anniversary? Straight-up obsessed with onyx? Add a touch of global flair to your wardrobe by checking out the following designers of fairly traded gemstone jewelry. If looking for dazzle in the form of diamonds, opt for conflict-free diamonds to support a movement within the diamond industry that has much in common with fair trade practices.

Before you buy

There are an increasing number of Fair Trade Certified agricultural products—coffee, tea, cocoa, flowers, fruit, rice, sugar, and others—marketed under strict guidelines set forth by TransFair USA, a nonprofit organization that monitors fair trade practices in developing agricultural communities under the umbrella association Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO). However, certification has not yet extended to non-agricultural products such as jewelry, handicrafts, and clothing at this time. TransFair USA is currently researching the possibility of instituting a fair trade certification system within the jewelry trade, focusing specifically on diamonds and gold. Issues of concern include migratory workers, environmental damage, health and safety standards, political conflict, and an absence of transparent pricing.[1] Without certification, the best way to learn more about that ruby's fair trade roots is to ask the designer. Don't be shy—most jewelry makers that use fairly traded gems and other eco-friendly and ethical materials proudly do so and should be happy to indulge you with info.

Choosing fairly traded gem jewelry helps you go green because...

• It promotes ecologically and ethically sound small-scale mining practices.
• It supports the economic and artistic livelihood of talented artisans working in developing countries.

Fair trade is a progressive trade model that fosters an economically stable relationship between consumers and producers in Asian, Latin American, and African countries, while promoting safe, humane labor conditions;[2] it's also one that takes special regard for the earth. For example, Columbia Gem House, Inc.—the first company within the jewelry industry to jump on the fair trade bandwagon—takes special care to protect groundwater, watersheds, and streams around gem mining sites (gem mining is usually performed by hand which by default takes less of a toll on surrounding habitats compared to larger scale operations) from sediment and pollutants. It's also the company's policy to replant and restore mining sites to their original condition.[3][4] Once mined, these gems are cut in China at a factory where workers are paid three times the minimum wage and are provided with annual bonuses, paid vacations, and health insurance.[5] Most recently, in conjunction with the Malawi government and Nyala Mine Mines, Ltd., the company signed a mining lease and fair trade royalty agreement at Malawi's ruby- and sapphire-producing Chimwadzulu Hill mine. The royalty agreement includes various community development endeavors such as support of the local medical clinic and school. It also enables Malawian citizens to support the financial health of the mine through stock ownership.[6]

It's estimated that over 100 million people around the world depend on small-scale mining as a source of income.[7]

Although jewelry cannot receive official fair trade certification at the this time, it's important to understand the seven principles of the movement, as established by the Fair Trade Federation:

• fair wages,
• participatory workplaces,
• environmental sustainability,
• financial and technical support,
• respect for cultural identity,
• public accountability, and
• consumer education.[8]

Other eco-issues

Although the environmental and social ills of the diamond trade tend to get the most press, the mining of other gems also has dire consequences across the globe. Madagascar, an island with a wealth of biodiversity but widespread poverty, has produced around 50 percent of the world's sapphires since their discovery on the island in 1994. Environmental concerns associated with sapphire mining in Madagascar include deforestation, water pollution from inadequate sanitation and sedimentation, and hunting (miners often kill lemurs and other species in protected areas for food, reducing the native population). Non-environmental concerns include illicit trading practices, increasing rates of crime and HIV infection in "boomtown" areas, and perilous working conditions for miners.[9]

Compared to the relatively recent sapphire boom in Madagascar, gemstone mining, especially for sapphires, in Sri Lanka has been documented as far back as 334 BC. The entire mining process is an ancient, revered one with ties to religion; mining companies operate on a co-op basis using age-old methods, with miners usually receiving a small share of profits. Despite the relative stability of Sri Lanka's gemstone industry, there are significant environmental concerns. Examples include the spread of malaria due to stagnant water in derelict mining pits, erosion, and the clearing of valuable agricultural land for mining endeavors. The relationship between gemstone mining and the environment has been studied in Sri Lanka more than in other regions due in part to the high literacy rate in the country.[10]

For more on how gemstone mining affects other countries, such as Thailand and Brazil, see Gems and the Environment: Balancing Benefits and Costs.

External links

• Fair Trade Resource Network
• Ideal Bite - Adding to your family's jewel collection?
• Oxfam International - Make Trade Fair
• International Colored Gemstone Association
• Co-op America - Real Money: Digging for Ethical Gems
• JCKonline.com - Jewelry and Gemstone Social Issues
• Fair Trade Jewelry "Where Ethically Sourced Jewelry is the Bottom Line"
• Gemstone Meanings All you ever wanted to know about gemstones and more: read about different cuts and styles, birthstones, and anniversary gems.