What is Ethical Sourcing?

Ethical sourcing has become a bit of a buzz term of late and it's a trend that we're happy to accommodate; though, to be honest, calling it a "trend" is unfair to the credibility behind the movement. The jewelry industry has been replete with some seriously bad karma over the centuries: wars fought for gold, environments decimated for mining, and general price-fixing by the De Beers (more on that later), so it's pretty exciting to live during a time when manufacturers are really taking ethical sourcing seriously and we are, as a result, able to offer a reliable selection of alternatives to clients who are interested.That being said, the term "ethically sourced" connotes a myriad of meanings that aren't always transparent when you're in a jewelry store. Every day, I see a new retailer advertising some type of "green" or "alternative" edge without explaining exactly what these terms mean in their own context. In light of this, I thought I would dedicate a series of posts to the different ways that ethical sourcing interacts with our business and how we can accommodate requests from clients in a conscientious manner. The series will cover everything from sourcing questions, labor practices, and the ethical considerations of using lab created gemstones versus naturally-derived stones. I thought about putting all this information in a single post but, to be honest, it's an incredibly complicated subject and I take it very seriously...so many well-researched posts it will be! 

Each jewelry item touches many hands before it reaches the client. We plan to examine each step and opt for more conscientious choices along the way. Photo Credit: Ethical Metalsmiths.

 To start, we're excited to announce that Tim and I are taking serious steps in our workshop this year to decrease our environmental footprint by instituting better sourcing and waste management practices. Additionally, we will be introducing a few new lines to our showroom designed by sustainability-minded jewelers. I'll take care with each line to explain how these makers are adapting their designs to more conscientious standards - for example, next week we're excited to introduce to our showroom the exquisite work of Jennifer Dawes Design, a California designer who fabricates everything by hand in her Santa Rosa studio and uses exclusively recycled gold and ethically sourced gemstones for her pieces. I had the pleasure of meeting Jennifer last week at a trade show and I'll be doing a comprehensive post on her work in the weeks to come.  

Here's a sneak peek of some of her completely custom, one-of-a-kind rings that we have coming to our showroom this week. We'll have options in emerald and diamond, tanzanite and diamond, and sapphire and diamond (shown).

 And finally, I am pleased to announce that we have joined the organization of Ethical Metalsmiths, a non-profit that serves as a useful resource for consumers and retailers alike to educate and advocate for conscientious sourcing practices. We hope to hold ourselves accountable to increasingly higher standards over the next few years and Ethical Metalsmiths is sure to be a great partner in this process.We are looking forward to sharing this sustainability journey with you. And, if you have any ideas for us, please share them! Even the tiniest change can make an impact.