The Essence of Fair Trade Jewellery by EcoChic Collection

he EcoChic team are 12 E c o C h i c ’ s 24 L o n d o n T delighted to introduce the first in our collection of eBooks, the Essence of Fair Trade Jewellery, designed to inspire, to evoke and to tell some very real stories within the Fair Trade Jewellery supply chain. Our first eBook, a celebration of Ethical Design, creativity and the positive difference the Ethical Fashion Industry makes to individual lives, communiites and caring for the environment. Do join our celebration and take a look....

Ethical J ewe l l e r y Collection For brides to be

EcoChic

Magazine IGina n t e r v i ew s from Chocolate Couture

J ewe l l e r y W ee k 2010 The Ethical Debate Summary

26 F a s h i o n D i l em a

What’s wrong with a bit of bling?

Why Fair

C elebrates Mirabelle’s effortless

Ethical Designer Ute D ecker showcases at London

Trade J ewe l l e r y ? CRED founder shares his

Leblas

L o o k s G r ee n As fair trade goes mining

EcoChic

ethical style and creative spirit

Sustainability meets the sublime

Product of t h e W ee k CRED jewellery

Ethical

Silver S ourcing A view from La

Festival of Architecture

O pe n

Source Mineral R esigns from the Responsible Jewellery Counse

20 CRED Ethical J ewe l l e r y to inspire

21 E t h i c a l J ewe l l e r y

purity and fairness unveiled

story

29 G o l d 32 T o

Recycle

not to Recycle

That is the question credits Creative Director & Editor Deborah Miarkowska Wr i t e r s Kate Carter Alexandra Delmage Alice C Doyle Stephanie Fortescue Deborah Miarkowska Greg Valerio Graphics Sarah Harman

E c o C h i c C o l l e c t i o n M a g a z i n e www.ecochiccollection.co.uk

EcoChic Collection Boutique

by Alic e C D oyle

coChic is delighted to be working in E collaboration with Veronique Henry, founder and creative inspiration behind

Mirabelle, and showcasing Mirabellle’s eclectic selection of beautiful ethical jewellery. View our exquisite collection of Mirabelle Jewellery in EcoChic Boutique here.

Veronique’s extensive travel and passion for South East Asia, has bathed her collection with a unique intricacy and vibrancy. Fusing ethnic and contemporary aesthetics with bright and bold colours, texture and natural materials, Mirabelles signature style bridges the gap between high street and high end in an inspirational and truly ecochic style. Influenced by symbolism and meaning, the collection of delicate earrings, bold bracelets and naturally inspired rings, harness spiritual power with crystal stones to ancient talismans. The powerful use of

materials expresses Veronique’s strong belief in the power of jewellery to uplift the spirits. Veronique says “My quirky handmade pieces have meaning and texture, but not just in their design but in their very creation.” Veronique’s passionate commitment to ethics and handpicked suppliers, ensures that her supply chain is ethically sourced and produced, and precious gems are from reliable and reputable sources. All Mirabelle jewellery is produced by fair trade suppliers using sterling silver, 22k gold plated metals, brass, semi precious stones, carved mother of pearl, wood, and shells from trusted sources. Mirabelle’s accessibly-priced jewellery box essentials are classic investment pieces, updated with eclectic, fashion-led seasonal collections encapsulating Veronique’s effortless style and freedom of spirit. As a bright and shining trailblazer in the industry, being an ethical jeweller is nothing new to Veronique. Veronique says, “Mirabelle was Fair trade before it became fashionable.” To see EcoChic’s collection of Mirabelle jewellery click here.

E c o C h i c C o l l e c t i o n M a g a z i n e www.ecochiccollection.co.uk

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1. Leaf Pendant, £62.50 2. Black Bead Brass Bangle, £30 3. Oval Glass Pendant, £45 4. White Pearl Brass Coin Bangle, £18 5. Harmonia XL Fair Trade Brass Cuff, £75 6. Harmonia Trio Brass Cuff, £45 7. Doris Brass Bangles, £27 8. Harmonia Single Brass Ring, £18 9. Harmonia Single Brass Cuff, £20 10. Coral Glass Necklace, £38 All by Mirabelle

6 EcoChic Collection Boutique

by Alic e C D oyle

1. Leblas White Silver Rosette Earrings £185

2. Leblas White Silver Rosette Ring £260

eblas (leblas.com) is a design-led L ethical jewellery boutique founded by Clare Winfield and Arabel Lebrusan.

What makes Leblas so unique is their award winning ability to combine traditional artistry with modern design and sustainable practices. As Coutts New Jeweller Award Winner for 2009, Clare and Arabel’s shared vision, was to create ethical and sustainably sourced fine jewellery with no sacrifice in design or quality. Based on Sloane Street in London, Leblas are surrounded by big names such as Cartier and Tiffany. However, the Leblas collection stands out with their unique formula. A collection that embodies sustainability at it’s heart and in so doing, Leblas give their customers a choice, a choice to buy sublime ethical jewellery, hand crafted with artisanal

3. Leblas White Silver Rosette Bangle £420

All by Leblas

skills of Spanish antiquity. Leblas was born in 2007, when Clare and Arabel’s shared vision for running a design-led jewellery came to fruitition. Both had worked in the Far East and witnessed first hand how mass manufacture had replaced traditional cottage industry and was slowly eroding generational craftsmanship. Leblas grew from their shared belief that it is possible to create sublime sustainable jewellery, maintain ethical trading practices, with no sacrifice to design, quality or desirability.

Unearthing Their Spanish Roots & Using Traditional Skills

E c o C h i c C o l l e c t i o n M a g a z i n e www.ecochiccollection.co.uk

In order to meet their goal, Arabel, an award-winning Spanish-born designer, looked to her Spanish roots and scoured the whole of Spain to find artisans with whom to develop new ideas. Clare, the business head of Leblas, with over 15 years experience in merchandising, engaged her passion for good artisan working conditions and minimizing the environmental impact of their business activities. Their journey in attaining their ethical and creative values was over when they found an artisan, who has lived and worked in a small Spanish town in the Eastern part of Spain along the Via de La Plata, his entire life. Lorenzo is a third generation artisan and specialist in filigree design, his craft has been passed down father to son. Working with Arabel’s designs, each piece of Leblas filigree and hand-made chain jewellery is personally made by him with skills perfected over centuries of craftsmanship. Leblas’ very essence is rooted in cultural and social responsibility, and so in order to ensure the skills are passed to a new generation they will be developing the artistry apprenticeship program to maintain the continuation of traditional artisanal skills. By working collaboratively between the UK and Spain, each design piece is designed ethically and embodies a unique charm of Spanish passion and creativity. This fusion of modern de-

sign and traditional workmanship, has produced this wonderful collection; from the Heritage Line, which includes the signature 100% handmade filigree collection, handmade Sequin chain and the stunning Rosette Collection. Leblas designs also include unique wedding and engagement collections, using ethically sourced diamonds and metals, fused together in a synergy of sustainable beauty that will inspire forever.

Ethical Choices &

S us t a i n a b i l i t y With sustainability as their guiding light, Leblas use 100% recycled gold, silver and platinum, sourced specifically from a carefully selected single refinery. They ensure in all business practices they use the most

socially, environmentally and culturally responsible sources possible and that all diamonds and gems are sourced from trusted suppliers. Their passion is to educate and inform and there is no area of their business in which they do not aspire to do better on a social and ethical level. Leblas’ success lies in their recognition of the need to blend aesthetics and integrity. The collection synergises ethical choice and sustainability, and demonstrates how a small company has been able to resuscitate fast disappearing traditional techniques and present them to a new generation of customer. With no compromise on quality, finish or desirability, Leblas’ winning formula is set to take the jewellery market by storm. To choose that gorgeous little something, crafted with the expertise of generations and the design of contemporary chic, visit their boutique at 149 Sloane Street, London or shop online in the Leblas Boutique and view a selection of the Leblas Collection in our own EcoChic Boutique here.

EcoChic Collection Boutique

RED’s Designer AnC nabel Panes’ stunning 30’s inspired Penelope

Collection as seen here in EcoChic Boutique. Lets face it, nowadays retro has never been so fashionable. Today’s fashion has emerged into a playful convergence of eras, reworking vintage, perhaps even combining it with something entirely new-not just that it encourages us to move away from our throwaway fashion fix. This week’s product of the week features Annabel Panes beautiful 30s inspired Penelope Collection. Designs that espouse just

a hint of 30s glamour, in her flamboyant and playful cocktail rings, combining this with intricate detailing, as shown in her fleur studs which have been carefully designed to catch just the right amount of light so you sparkle. Designs are full of life, visually organic, almost ready to burst into flower. This sense of beauty comes straight from the source; the stories behind them that perhaps even match the beauty of the collection itself. Handmade by CRED the entire Penelope Collection is made from Oro Verde Fair

E c o C h i c C o l l e c t i o n M a g a z i n e www.ecochiccollection.co.uk

Trade 18ct White Gold and skillfully set with ethically sourced Aqua, Lolite, Rhodalite and Amethyst from Africa, India and South America. CRED’s own philosophy in using the Western world’s demand for minerals to help improve the quality of lives of others and protecting the environments of those who are directly affected by our want, make these pieces that can be truly cherished. View our CRED Collection here.

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1. Fleur Double Dropstone Earrings £1500 2. Ful Pendant Silver £72.50 3. Fleur Double Drop Earrings £850 4. Fleur Studs £660 5. Fleur Pendant £320 6. Entwined Hanga Earrings Silver £68.50 7. Fleur Double Drop Pendant £645 8. Fleur Double Dropstone Pendant £875 9. Entwined Hanga Pendant Silver £64.50. All by CRED

6 EcoChic Collection Boutique

Born of Me Ring, La, ÂŁ62.50

coChic Collection are delighted to be partners with La Jewellery, designers of the E most exquisite handmade jewellery. We asked La Jewellery Director, Lisa Anne for her views on ethical silver sourcing.

by D eborah Miarkowska

E c o C h i c C o l l e c t i o n M a g a z i n e www.ecochiccollection.co.uk

“At La jewellery, we believe very strongly in not just talking about sustainability, ‘treading lightly’ on the land and about taking responsibility for our environment and our future, but in demonstrating to our customers that our materials are ethically sourced and our methods are as ‘green’ as we can make them wherever this is possible. We believe in being honest and accountable and obviously, given the nature of our business, where we source the silver we use is foremost in that accountability. Our casting silver is sourced from a bullion dealer which holds as its maxim, the UN World Commission on Environment and Development, where sustainable development is defined as, “…development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. We couldn’t agree more, which is why we choose to obtain our casting silver from a source which ranks quality and innovation as vital for sustainablity”. “In addition, the company we use has a strong trackrecord and ethic in recycling. Silver, as well as other metals, is reclaimed from sources where it is a by-product of one of several other idustrial processes. The metal is reclaimed, recycled and refined to be used by us and other businesses committed to the future”

Our

sources of silver at La Jewellery

Our silver wire and sheet is obtained from a differ-

ent source, a bullion dealer whose silver comes from all over the world. We are aware that this takes up air miles, but at present, it is the only source we know of for these types and forms of silver. To lessen the impact of this, we collect our scrap silver and send it to be recycled so that at least when it gets to us, the silver will be made use of in the most efficient way possible, with as little waste as we can possibly manage.

T r us t i n g

All appropriate items are hallmarked in our Birmingham ASSAY office and contain a date stamp

out all the casting in the art studio by hand but this proved to be very time consuming and therefore became too expensive for our clients. After many months of research, we found an extremely fine casting company .We didn’t go for the high tech faceless companies which were in abundance, we decided on a small family run business, past on from grandfather to father to son, with a small but welcoming workforce. They are a very well respected company and work with many of the very top designer from all over the world. And if they are good enough for Vivienn Westwood then they are good enough for us! The raw carcass of the earring is cast and then Is sent back to our art studio where it is hammered, textured, filed and turned into the beautiful piece of jewellery that can be viewed on this site.

Due to the fact that some of out jewellery needs a symmetrical counterpart we use a casting company to en-

With special thanks to LA Jewellery and Lisa-Anne for this interview and for their partnership. Please view our gorgeous La Range here.

our sources

We haven’t taken the easy way out. We have located sources we can trust and we are taking steps to make sure we do all we can to get the most from our silver, including recycling and using innovative techniques and methods of production.. Having done so, we can pass the knowledge on to you, our customer, that not only will you receive from us something beautiful, but something which has the least impact on our precious planet that we can possibly manage.

Hall

marking and the law

Casting

sure aesthetical quality. In the past we would carry EcoChic Collection Boutique

by Alic e C D oyle ith the wedding seaW son in full swing, EcoChic Boutique’s ethi-

cal jewellery collection is celebrating beauty on the inside, as well as the outside. To the joyous smiles of loved ones, couples up and down the country are cementing their love with the wedding band. EcoChic Boutique offers a contemporary range of fair trade jewellery for brides, grooms and wedding guests. What thought is given to how this universal and timeless symbol of love came into existence. Deborah, Creative Director of EcoChic Collection said,” Not everyone is aware of the destruction behind gold and precious stone mining. We want to educate the consumer as well as inspire, which is why we created our ethical jewellery range, collaborating with the worlds most inspired ethical jewellery designers. Jewellery is beautiful, but you have to question just how beautiful it really is, by asking where it came from.” The story behind the world’s mining of precious metals and gemstones is not as pretty as the jewellery it creates. If it is not ethically produced or Fair Trade, jewellery production

can cause wide scale ex1 ploitation to miners as well as the surrounding environment. “Toxic chemicals such as mercury and cyanide are used in large quantities to help extract gold from the ground and these can leach into the local water and soil. The scars from open pit mining are so extensive they can be seen from space. It’s incredibly destructive to the environment”, says Deborah. Socially, the mining of gold and precious stones also has repercussions on local communities. Miners can experience as long as four months spent working underground in horrendous and cramped conditions in return for a meagre wage, barely sufficient to meet basic living costs. With no safety equipment, prolonged exposure to chemicals causes many health problems. Global Witness has reported that up to a million child labourers are used in the jewellery industry. Deborah says “Our aim is

E c o C h i c C o l l e c t i o n M a g a z i n e www.ecochiccollection.co.uk

to limit the damage and social injustice that can lie in the wake of something as beautiful and pure as a wedding band. This is why we are so passionate about ethical jewellery and making people aware that they do have this choice to buy jewellery made by cooperatively run gold mines where producers are paid fair wages. We applaud this marriage of ethics and aesthetics.” With the launch of the Fair Trade Gold Standard earlier this year, the framework for an ethical and robust jewellery supply chain now exists. By choosing ethical and Fair Trade jewellery, brides to be can transform lives and celebrate their wedding day with a marriage band created responsibly and with fairness for the producer and the environment. Fair Trade Jewellery is a beautiful celebration, view our gorgeous ethical collections here.

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1. Ethical Bond 9ct Gold, Chocolate Couture, £295 2. Deux, Chocolate Couture, £28 3. Pearl Drop Earrings, Oria Jewellery, £187 4. Le Fleur £395 5. Pearl Drop Necklace, Oria Jewellery, £254 6. Greed White Gold Ring, Chocolate Couture, £595 7. Wired, Chocolate Couture, £195 8. Entwined Hanga Pendant Gold, CRED, £76.60 9. Ful Necklace Gold, CRED, £165 10. Entwined Hanga Earrings Gold, CRED, £76.60 11. The Kautmi Ring for Him & Her, £40 12. Ethical Bond-Palladium, Chocolate Couture, £250

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EcoChic Collection Boutique

u r r e c e n t l aunch of the Ethical Fashion Network for the South East was a h u g e s u c c e s s . We were delighted to welcome over forty ethical companie s , t o L a Fourchet te Patisserie in Hove. I w a s d e l i g h t e d to have the chance to chat to Gina Johnson, the Director o f C h o c o l a t e C o u t u r e , an online boutique specialising in handcrafted ethical eng a g e m e n t rings and wedding bands.

by Alic e C D oyle

E c o C h i c C o l l e c t i o n M a g a z i n e www.ecochiccollection.co.uk

clude fire to show passion, envy to show want and need, but not from a negative perspective, we want to express genuine feeling and human experience.

Chocolate Couture has been going for about 4 years now. My central passion is to make ethical jewellery, traditional engagement rings and wedding bands. We are looking to get away from high street manufactured products and our passion is to change the way people think.

Much of the jewellery we create is traditional but also a little bit unique. We have unusual engagement rings to wedding bands. Some of our themes in-

We use where possible recycled materials and diamonds certified by the Kimberly process and the World Diamond Council Code of Conduct. We also agree with the principles of Clean Gold set out in the No Dirt Gold campaign and the ARM Association for Responsible Mining. We use several ethical suppliers. Hoover and Strong supply our recycled precious metals such as palladium, gold and silver as well as diamonds, sapphires and rubies. In terms of gem stones, we use fair trade gem stones so we are able to trace the origin of the stones. Columbia Gem house supply our Malawi Sapphire and Ruby. These can be fol-

lowed back to the mine. Fair trade Gems such as Mesa Verde Peridot, Fire Citrine can be followed to the broker who understands and supports Columbian Gems Fair Trade principles. Ruby Fair is another of our suppliers who supply ethical sapphire and rubies from Tanzanian mines. The environment, miners welfare and the ecology are all taken into consideration. We know all about our supply chain, it is very well researched and we are very open on where we get our supplies.

How do you see the market for ethical jewellery? I think the public have changed the way they think. They are more ethically conscious. When you buy an engagement ring itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really important to know where it came from. So I think more and more people are becoming aware and thinking about where their jewellery comes from. EcoChic Boutique i s d e lighted to be a sel e c t e d stockist of the Cho c o l a t e Couture range her e .

EcoChic Collection Boutique

by D eborah Miarkowska

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1. Minimalist Arm Sculpture, £1,100 2. Textured Arm Sculpture, £1,200 3. Small Eruptions Cuff, £620 All by Ute Decker

thical Jewellery Designer Ute Decker E known for her sculptural and exquisitely beautiful recycled silver pieces will

be displaying her architecturally inspired jewellery at the London Festival of Architecture this month. The designer describes her pieces as less re-interpretations of actual buildings than major pieces of ‘jewellery that can be inhabited’ influenced by architectural forms. Deckers’ recycled jewellery is inspired by archictecture. In showcasing her jewellery at the event, Decker aims to invite the viewer to consider the environmental and social impact of jewellery. Whilst this debate has been ongoing in architecture and urban planning, it remains a relatively new forum for discussion in the jewellery industry. Decker’s wearable and highly unique sculptures, made from recycled silver, will be exhibited as part of a group exhibition, alongside architecturally informed works by painters, photographers, textile artists and ceramicists.

There will be some exceptional pieces available for sale at the event, which takes place from June 25 to July 4 at The Outside World Gallery, 44 Redchurch Street, London.

Images courtesy of Ute Decker

E c o C h i c C o l l e c t i o n M a g a z i n e www.ecochiccollection.co.uk

The Stories that Change Lives

Stories

that

Change Lives

by D eborah Miarkowska

E c o C h i c C o l l e c t i o n M a g a z i n e www.ecochiccollection.co.uk

pen Source, founded a O few years ago by Mike Angenent, offers ethical,

traceable and transparent sourcing in for both diamonds and other gems. It has become one of the most respected organizations in the ethical sourcing community, providing ethically sourced diamonds and gems to jewelers interested in exceptional standards. Now, Open Source has resigned from the RJC. This resignation, as Mike’s letter below reveals, was catalyzed by RJC’s stance in the allowance of diamonds from the Marange field in Zimbabwe.

The Kimberley Certification Process (KP) is certifying these Marange diamonds. KP has been the backbone of the diamond trade, as it was developed in response to the blood diamond tragedy in which three million Africans died mostly between 1990 and 2000. RJC is backing KP, despite that fact the human rights violations, including rape and murder, have been widely documented in Marange. This resignation is an important development for those who follow these issues closely. It is further evidence of the split between the large scale companies and trade organizations that drive the RJC agenda, and the smaller organizations, such as Fair Jewelry Action, inter-

ested in developing more comprehensive standards based not only on traceability and transparency, but human rights and environmental justice. Below is Mike’s letter to the RJC: Due to RJC’s decision to welcome the Kimberley Certification Process’s (KP) agreement regarding Zimbabwe, I decided that it would not befit Open Source Minerals to remain its RJC membership. I can understand, to some extend, that multi-stakeholder decisions require compromises and should be considered professionally and not personally. I do however, not share that view. Decisions like these are never merely professional, as they affect the lives and livelihoods of many. My concern for the lives of the small scale is therefore very personal and should be the main concern in any policy making decision. Furthermore, it is one thing to come to a professional compromise and another to acknowledge the same as being “Responsible.” Responsibility is about the Council’s and its member’s bigger role in society. Establishing a CoC should not externalize costs by expensive auditing measures, but should first and foremost lead to true empowerment and shareholding of communities. Therefore, responsibility should in the first place extend to the villagers of Marange in Zimbabwe that discovered the diamonds in 2006. These are among the poorest people in the world - despite the $56 million sold in the recent tenders.

Any Council claiming Responsibility, as an absolute requirement, should take stewardship into assuring that the basic rights of these people are met. There is also a Supreme Court order* regarding legal ownership of Chiadzwa which has been ignored by the KP. While the KP might have its reasons to ignore it under the mandate they have, I do not think it befits to RJC to do the same. Compliance with national law is a basic requirement for all who claim responsible practices and especially for those who promote them. I understand that under the current definition of ‘blood diamonds’ it has been difficult for the KP members to file Marange’s production as such. Semantics however should not be the main concern when peoples lives are involved. However difficult it may be, it is again one thing to come to such a decision and another to acknowledge it. While this case could have been a clear statement by the RJC of its independency and that it is living up to the internationally applicable standards they have set out in their Ethical and Responsible sourcing / Stewardship, it has now become a meager compromise to a decision that “if implemented could provide hope”. That the decisions and demands are not being implemented should not come as a surprise. There are pending legal disputes over ownership (Chiadzwa) after Africa Consolidated Resources was taken over illegally and forcefully by state owned companies. Pending or not, there seem to be some Supreme Court orders that where disregarded by the KP. Stories

that

Change Lives

Image courtesy of CRED

by D eborah Miarkowska

thical and Fair Trade Jewellery is E unique and truly special in many ways. CRED Jewellery is no exception and aims to inspire and achieves this elegantly with a beautiful collection that has been certified as socially and environmetally responsible. CRED Jewellery is the original Fair Trade jeweller and they do not make this claim lightly, but as pioneers they have pursued the dream of Fair Trade jewellery and brought it to reality. CRED were the first European retailer to sell independently certified Fair Trade gold and the first high street boutique to exclusively sell ethical jewellery. In 2003 they produced the world’s first truly ethical wedding rings, wedding bands made from gold from a traceable source that was certified as environmentally and socially responsible. Greg Valerio, Founder of Cred Jewellery tells his story. “When I started CRED Jewellery in 1996 my desire was to create a jewellery company that had the principles of Fair Trade

at its very heart, as well as satisfying my personal desire for beauty and wonder. These two simple ideas are intrinsically bound together, because beauty at its most intense is a reflection of the wonder in nature. Jewellery is the finest symbol of this when it is sourced with social and environmental integrity, capturing, creating and conveying this genius. “It has been an amazing journey that has taken me to some of the remotest regions of our world, met some of the most extraordinary people and witnessed some of the best and the worst practices in mining. Human and indigenous rights, environmental justice and human creativity are at the heart of our Fair Trade company. Greg Valerio, Founder and Fair Trade Campaigner EcoChic Collection are delighted to be partnering with CRED and are truly inspired by their work. View our CRED Collection here.

E c o C h i c C o l l e c t i o n M a g a z i n e www.ecochiccollection.co.uk

by Ste phanie For te sc ue

Stories

that

Change Lives

o one can deny that N when a shiny new piece of jewellery glimmers in

the corner of your eye, the beauty and glamour of it just swathes you in layers of desire, attraction and longing. Sadly, there’s one emotion that’s often overlooked - guilt. The outward appearance of jewellery more often than not contradicts what lies behind it, a web of ugly blood sweat and tears underneath a surface elegance, charm and allure. What goes into making such a beautiful item is a world apart from what it appears, not only for the people involved its creation, but the environment too.

The production of gold alone causes monumental damage to the world we live in. Waters are poisoned from the use of acid mining and surrounding areas become infiltrated with fatal amounts of chemicals such as cyanide. Immense piles of toxic waste are left over from mining and dangerous chemicals such as sulphur and oxides of nitrogen, key components of acid rain, are released into the air as gold is extracted. As if the physical effects weren’t enough, the devastating effects on local communities are just as bad. Suffering the destructive consequences on the environment first hand., livelihoods are lost, individuals taken advantage of and whole communities destroyed. Mining companies have little regard for locals and more often that not, bring devastation and corruption. A far cry from the beauty of the final product. Since the launch of the

1. CRED Ful Earrings Gold £80.85 2. CRED Ful Pendant Gold £80.85 3. CRED Ful Necklace Gold £165

first Fair Trade coffee label in 1988, its popularity has grown increasingly. With sales of certified products topping £500m in 2007, it’s far more than just coffee on the shelves nowadays. When major names began to take on the ‘ethical’ approach to consumerism in later years, the Fair Trade range widened even further into areas such as the fashion industry.

Many shoppers have come to see Fair Trade as the more ‘moral’ path to take in the twisted route of

E c o C h i c C o l l e c t i o n M a g a z i n e www.ecochiccollection.co.uk

consumerism, but what exactly is it that makes it the ‘right’ path to take. Products bearing the certified label are part of the process in trying to close the gap between rich and poor. By ensuring farmers and workers aren’t abused, and providing them with opportunities that the conventional trade system normally cheats them of, economy can then flourish in developing countries as it should be able to. Fair Trade jewellery respects these aspects by paying fair prices to workers which reflect the true cost of production, supporting them in their social and environmental projects and promoting gender equality in pay and working conditions. By doing this, access to markets is increased and commitment to long term relationships provides stability and security. Above all, Fair Trade campaigns to raise awareness of the unequal system of world trade which positions profit above human rights and threatens our planet.

Fair Trade puts the beauty and elegance back jewellery. It’s based on decency and legitimacy, a sturdy grounding compared to the shaky foundations of treachery, corruption and exploitation. Remarkable pieces come from the values and essence that are so often forgotten in conventional trading methods. Unique, hand made or locally sourced, you’re guaranteed a guilt-free shopping experience when buying Fair Trade.

February 14th 2011 is a date for the diary and one worthy of celebration. The Fairtrade Foundation and Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM) have collaborated on a joint venture to introduce certified fair-trade gold for the first time in 2011, to protect the rights of miners and maintain the environment. The new system will give mines the opportunity to apply for recognised Fairtrade status, and retailers the chance to offer consumers certified gold for the first time. Applicant mines will be visited by independent certification auditor FloCert, to ensure the mine is compliant with the Fairtrade standard. The Foundation is also currently in talks with the Assay Office to develop a Fairtrade

standard. Right now there isn’t any traceability, and jewellers don’t know where their gold has come from. Having a certified gold source will reassure customers and add value to retail jewellers’ businesses.”

‘jewel-stamp’ that will sit next to traditional hallmarking and prove validity. Greg Valerio, Fairtrade Foundation business development manager said at our the first Ethical Fashion Network for Sussex, “the introduction will increase transparency, and allow retailers to prove to customers that their gold comes from a Fairtrade source. He said: “This is the first time there has been a Fairtrade gold

Over several years we have been sourcing the most exceptional handcrafted fair trade jewellery and it gives us great pleasure to showcase our range here.

Stories

that

Change Lives

by Greg Valer io n the 12th June, London Jewellery O Week entered into the world of ethical jewellery. For the first time at the Treasure Show (the showcase event for design talent) there was an intentional section called Essence, that gathered together the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ethical jewellery talent and gave them all a platform from which to show-

case their collections. April Doubleday, Leblas, Oria Jewellery, CRED Jewellery, Ute Decker, Fifi Bijoux, Choo Yilin, Linnie Mclarty and Avasarah were just a few of the designers and brands demonstrating the UK jewellery scene has a growing, vibrant and maturing ethical jewellery scene.

E c o C h i c C o l l e c t i o n M a g a z i n e www.ecochiccollection.co.uk

As the host for the ethical debate I opened with a few observations from the past few years. The UK jewellery market has certainly undergone something of a small but significant evolution in its embracing of ethical issues as a core part of the supply chain in the last five years. With traceability, fairtrade, ethics, human rights, environmental issues and recycling all becoming part if the language of jewellery in the UK we have seen a shift in understanding and acceptance that ethics is an integral part of what brings value to a piece of jewellery. However more significantly than a shift in language has been the emergence of a number of key networks, organisations and institutions whose aim is to play their part in the delivery of social and environmental justice throughout the jewellery supply chain. Fairtrade Labeling Organisation, Alliance for Responsible Mining, Diamond Development Initiative, Responsible Jewellery Council, National Association of Goldsmiths new supply chain ethics working group and many others are beginning to play their significant part in transforming the injustices in the jewellery supply chain to a more equitable system. There is real traction now in the industry to drive a values revolution built upon transparency, sustainability, human rights and environmental justice. In my opinion the UK jewellery sector is leading the way in mine to market relationships.

The ethical debate, the first of its kind for LJW saw Estelle Levin a specialist in sustainable supply chains and small scale mining, Ute Decker a political economics graduate turned excellent sculptural jeweller, Choo Yilin a Thai based jeweller who recently launched a sustainable jewellery label under her name and Christian Cheeseman Designer and Director of the leading ethical jewellery brand CRED all challenged to give their replies to the debate question ” What are the next ethical steps the UK jewellery industry needs to take?’ I summarise their points as follows naturally avoiding any repetition:

• There is a need for more suppliers of ethical material so there can be more choice. • Using recycled materials has real value.

• She defined ethical as adding more benefits to miners and managing the harms that we do. • The Environment is a stakeholder in our work and should be considered when taking decisions. • There needs to be real honesty in marketing jewellery. • To have major impact we need to focus on small-scale miners.

• We need to make sure that what we do is real and not just greenwashing our supply chains

• There should be a more deeper understanding of what luxury is all about • Traceability and transparency are foundational to all ethical claims • Gemstones and Diamonds should also become Fairtrade certified In conclusion, despite my continued amazement at how open the UK industry is to delivering more justice through its supply chain, I remain humbled by the scale of the work we need to undertake. There are thousands of jewellers in the UK who are still unengaged in the issues, there is still only a small amount of supply of traceable materials available for jewellers to work with. So there remain huge challenges we will need to engage with in order to sustain the change. But it is a journey and to that end we are all walking. There is true dignity in work that small scale miners do in unearthing the treasures of creation, there is real creative genius in the way the jeweller takes these materials and enhances them in to objects of real beauty.

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by Kate C ar te r

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his week Fashion Statement is celebrating the third annual London jewellery week. From workshops to competitions via launches and career advice, the event aims to promote London’s place in the world of all things shiny. But the bit FS is really looking forward to is the Essence ethical event at Treasure, which will feature ethical jewellery designers and also act as forum for debate about ethical jewellery.

Which brings us to our dilema - what’s wrong with a bit of luxury sparkle? In many cases, nothing. Small-scale jewellery shops and sites promoting fabulous handmade pieces are great, and get the big FS thumbs up. Take Gaudion Bowerbank (full disclosure: the company is co-owned by our own Kelly Bowerbank, who runs the fashion desk AND a company. FS can barely even run for a bus). All their pieces are handmade to or-

Starfish Pendant from the Fifi Bijoux Collection

der by the designers, which means unless our Kelly has a secret dark side, we’re pretty sure the designers are treating themselves quite well and no whips or poisonous chemicals are involved. And that, we’re afraid, is more than can be said for a lot of jewellery. Most of us now know about blood diamonds, what with that Leonardo DiCaprio film and all. Thanks to the impact of the Kimberley Process, the amount of diamonds from conflict countries is now vastly reduced - down to a fraction of 1% compared with 15% in the 1990s. So De Beers - which produces 40% of the world’s diamonds - can now call all its stones conflict-free.

This is all great, but unfortunately just because a diamond isn’t a conflict gem doesn’t mean all is happy and shiny and work-

ers are trilling their way to work, skipping through the fields. Social and environmental conditions can still be grim; often the workers are children, the pay is appalling, and toxic chemicals (arsenic and mercury, among others) are used, which have devastating human and environmental consequences. For a positively biblical vision of hell, have a look at Sebastião Salgado’s famous photoessay on Brazil’s Sierra Pelada goldmine (which is now defunct, leaving a giant open pit that has turned into a polluted lake). Still want a solitaire for Christmas? As of yet, there are no certified Fair Trade diamonds or precious gems. Many companies such as CRED are trying to change this, by working with the Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM), among others. This Colombian-based organsation was born out of the Oro Verde (green gold) movement, which has been producing a responsible and traceable supply chain of gold since 2004. Ethical companies such as Fifi Bijoux use this gold for their pieces.

Ethical gold was given a big fillip earlier this year by the annoucement of new Fairtrade standards for gold. For the 100m people who depend directly or indirectly on small-scale gold mining, that is very good news indeed. So FS implores you to look out for the soon-to-arrive FAIRTRADE mark on gold jewellery, and to buy responsibly. And we also promise that we’ll stop being so serious now. Stories

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by Greg Vale r io n 1999 my friend Christian and I travIjewellery. elled to India on a trip to buy fair trade We insisted upon visiting a

local garnet mine to better understand the source of our jewellery. It was a horrendous parade of child indentured labour and gender exploitation in a 110f degrees of heat with no clean water. Hell is a real place. Since then I have campaigned for real change in the jewellery sector. Fair Trade is a simple idea that has the power to revolutionise an industry that has a moral and ethical disconnect between the source of the product and the customer that wears it. It is the idea of putting the small-scale miner at the heart of the jewellery story. Its the idea that the environment and eco-system from which our precious metals and gemstones emerge is not there to be abused but cherished. It is the idea of connecting the source with the high street and putting more value into the hands of the small-scale miner and guar-

anteeing a better deal for them. It is my desire and the to make it culturally unacceptable to buy a piece of jewellery that is not socially and environmentally certified as responsible. Since starting out on this journey in 1996 I have seen huge changes in an industry that is notorious for being conservative and secretive. We are dedicated to calling for change and to recording the movement as it happens. The EcoChic team support CRED every step of the way and work together for the same aims, it is a pleasure and a privaledge. CRED is an exceptional story with a luxury jewellery collection that is both pure and beautiful to it’s core. View the CRED Collection in EcoChic Boutique here. Image courtesy of CRED Jewellery, with special thanks.

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by D eborah Miarkowska

airtrade and fairmined gold is officially F launched. First we had bananas and chocolate and

at last it is officially official, the fairtrade and fairmined gold mark is launched. Greg Valerio and his partners at ARM (The Association For Responsible Mining) and the Fairtrade Foundation have spent the last decade campaigning tirelessly to bring about the Fairtrade Gold Mark and on March 17th 2010 all the hard work and campaigning has paid off, the Fairtrade Gold Mark is now officially launched. View our gorgeous ethical jewellery collections here. Congratulations from us all at EcoChic Magazine to the Fairtrade Foundation, ARM and especially to our friend Greg Valerio, we salute you and think you are a national treasure. Greg shares the biggest gold story that the world has ever known. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want to commend Fair Trade Foundation for their unwavering support for the

idea of FairTRADE Gold. As the founding director of CRED Jewellery, a leading fairtrade UK jewellery company, FTF have been at the forefront of making this important development a reality. The jewellery supply chain needs opening up. We need transparency, full disclosure and real economic justice for the millions of small scale miners who represent the majority of the workers in this sector. Fairtrade will help to deliver this to them and it cannot come to quickly. Bring it on. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Well done to everyone at Fairtrade Labeling and ARM. Today the ship is launched. We now have the best story in the gold world.â&#x20AC;?

Fair Trade and Fair Mined GoldStandardsWhat Does This Mean Stories

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Alleviating poverty faced by artisanal and small-scale gold miners and minimising environmental impacts of gold mining towards traceable gold was our long term vision launched over a decade ago. This week the Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO) and the Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM) launches the first ever third party independent certification for gold, opening up market opportunities for millions of impoverished artisanal small-scale miners and their families. The new Fairtrade and Fairmined gold standards will mean that interested licensees can apply for certification of gold products such as jewellery, commemorative coins, ingots, medals, trophies and religious artefacts. An industry market survey of 96 companies across 11 countries identified consumer products such as wedding rings, dress rings, necklaces, earrings and bracelets as potential products. Globally, over 100 million people who depend directly or indirectly on artisanaland small-scale gold mining are characterised by high levels of poverty and are trapped in unfair supply chains, and struggle to get a fair price for the gold they mine. The democratic organisation of miners, combined with added premium and increased access to markets, will allow miners’ organisations to improve the technology and working conditions at their mines, and also to develop community projects in education, health, environmental restoration and other forms of income. This would lead to more enduring and sustainable development in mining communities. Artisanal and small-scale

miners produce just 15% of global gold supplies, but make up 90% of labour in gold extraction. Through Fairtrade and Fairmined certification, miners can improve their economic, social and environmental conditions.

Support to Small Scale Miners Miners will get a better price for their gold, with increased security of the Fairtrade guaranteed minimum price. The Fairtrade minimum price for the pure gold content in unrefined gold is set at 95% of the London Bullion Market Association’s (LBMA), fixing at the FOB export point. Miners will receive a Fairtrade social premium, calculated as 10% of the applicable LBMA fixing. For Ecological Gold, gold that has been extracted without the use of chemicals and with strict ecological restoration requirements, an additional ecological premium, calculated as 5% of the applicable LBMA fixing on top of the Fairtrade premium must be paid.

Miners

Empowering Themselves Miners have the opportunity to empower themselves through their organisation. They form groups to give themselves better bargaining power with traders, to get a fairer return for their produce, and gain greater control over the jewellery supply chain. Though the price of gold is widely known in gold mining com-

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munities, miners often receive less owing to the number of middle-men between the miner and exporter. Once everyone takes their percentage, the miner may receive as little as 70% of the LBMA. Fairtrade and Fairmined certification will provide miners the chance to ask for prefinancing from prospective buyers, and provide miners with a minimum price for their product creating more competition in local markets and so improving trading relations to the benefit of the miner. Certified miners must use safe and responsible practices for management of toxic chemicals in gold recovery, such as mercury and cyanide. Chemicals have to be reduced to a minimum, and where possible eliminated over the years. Miners earn an additional ecological premium when they recover gold through gravity only.

Conflict Free Gold The Fairtrade and Fairmined gold will not contribute to conflict or violence. On the contrary, where certified organisations are located in conflict areas, increased economic stability, transparency and traceability from sale of their certified gold may help contribute to peacebuilding. Harriet Lamb, Executive Director of the Fairtrade Foundation said: ‘Companies and consumers will embrace this golden opportunity to make a real difference to miners’ lives. The launch of Fairtrade and Fairmined standards for gold provides a lifeline for communities who find themselves at the mercy

of unbalanced markets, when agriculture and other livelihoods are not viable. Many face exploitation from middle men who pay below market prices and cheat them on weight and purity of the gold content. Mining community members lack basic sanitation, clean and safe drinking water, poor housing, little or no access to education and healthcare and are financially unstable. The Fairtrade and Fairmined standards are an important development tool, and will complement other development interventions. ‘Our research shows that customers believe buying jewellery for a special occasion holds greater value and significance if it carried the Fairtrade and Fairminedhallmark. People said that the label reassures both the giver and receiver that the miners are getting a better deal.’ Cristina Echavarria, ARM´s Executive Director, said: ‘The Fairtrade and Fairmined Standards are the best standards in the market today for gold in terms of development impact on mining communities. They even set an example for the large-scale mining industry on issues such as traceability. Fairtrade and Fairmined is the premium among consumer labels, taken up by the most conscious consumers, a growing market segment that is setting future trends. Through them artisanaland small-scale miners all over the world will gain legitimacy and recognition by the mining sector and governments so that a historically disenfranchised group, often abused by illegal groups, can finally get recognition for its contribution to the livelihoods of millions, and access the hearts and minds of consumers who want to ensure

that through their jewellery purchase, they can improve the lives and the environment of mining communities. Their decision is already impacting the whole of the mining and jewellery industries. This is a fundamental reason why we at ARM are so proud to have achieved this partnership with FLO and why the miners are so keen to deliver responsibly produced Fairtrade and Fairmined gold to ethical jewellers and consumers.’

ARM P i l o t i n g the Standards A c r o ss N i n e Mining Organisations

The standard was piloted by ARM with nine legally established mining organisations in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru and will now be open to applications all small-scale and artisanal gold mining organizations in Latin America. More producer organisations from Latin America are expected to join the system in 2011 and beyond. As from 2010 ARM will establish a network of pilot projects in Africa, and later in Asia. Manuel Reinoso Rivas, President of the Association of Artisanal Miner Producers of Central and Southern Peru, and ARM Board member says: ‘Fairtrade and Fairmined certification motivates all artisanal and small-scale miners, men and women alike, to press for better working conditions and above all improved healthand safety. We need to learn how to use clean, non-polluting technologies that will not only preserve

our environment but also help us recover increased quantities of metals. We are determined to cut the number of accidents and reduce the impact of occupational disease and help our workplaces and our communities to provide our fellow miners, our families, our wives and our children witha secure quality of life and an environment free from major risks and able to coexist with ours and others productive activities. In fulfilling this responsibility we are contributing to a better quality of life and setting an example to our own children and to future generations.’

Fairtrade and Fairmined Gold a Celebration

Fairtrade and Fairminedgold will be initially launched in the UK and then rolled out to other countries with a long term vision of capturing 5% of the gold jewellery market over a 15-year period, totalling 15 tonnes of Fairtrade and Fairmined gold annually. Fairtrade and Fairminedgold will be colabelled, bearing boththe FAIRTRADE Mark and the FAIRMINED Mark in order to present to the consumer the strength of the partnership between the two organisations. What a time of jubilation! It is indeed a victory for justice and a celebration of the difference that the Fairtrade and Fairmined Gold Mark will make to millions of artisanal miners. Please view our ethical jewellery ranges in our Boutique.

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by Greg Vale r io

he gap between fact and emotion is T huge in the jewellery trade. It is one of the characteristics of our industry that

within the industry, no jeweller worth their salt throws away scrap, they recycled the value through the refiner or bullion house. In many cases however once that metal is scrapped it is then blended with fresh sources of metals so what comes to market as new metal can often be a mixture of recycled and new metal.

in many respects remains un-reconciled. There is no doubt in my mind that the rise in recent years of the ethical and fair trade jewellery debate has been largely due to the emotional and moral disconnect between source and finished product. When it comes to filling this apparent void, there has been a rush of well-intentioned ideas and the use of recycled metals is very close to the top of many jewelAs the GFMS table below demonstrates, lers lists of actions that can be taken. In silver coming to market does so through a fact there are now a number of jewellery number of sources, primary mining and as brands as well as metal trade suppliers the principle by-product of gold, copper, claiming a strong responsible ethical mes- lead and zinc mining. In fact only 28% of sage around the phrase â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;100% recycledâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; silver that hit the world market in 2008 From the outset I wish to be clear that I was from primary silver mines. The rest believe using 100% recycled metals in (72%) came through the secondary chanjewellery is a definite ethical improvenels. ment. Yet I am also of the opinion that it As the following statement from the Biris has a limSilver Output by Source Metal ited impact on ethical performance within the jewellery and broader metal trade. The process for scrapping gold and silver is well known Source: GFMS

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mingham Assay Office shows: ‘Silver volumes exceeded gold by nearly 600,000 articles in the period, representing an unprecedented 58% of articles hallmarked in the UK. Considering that silver items weighing less than 7.78 grams do not need to be hallmarked the true amount of silver introduced to the market is well in excess of this and the trend looks likely to continue’. This recent increase in silver jewellery is being supplied not only from then recycled source but also from the secondary sources of silver like, gold, lead, copper mining. In essence what I am saying is that the demand for new metal coming into the supply chain, outstrips the amount of silver being sold back in to the system through recycling. This is also born out from figures in the UK industry for 2008 gold consumption. The UK consumed 36 tonnes of gold of which 10 tonnes was recycled or scrap. Again the demand outstripped the recycling inputs. Of course there seem to be many reasons why this is, given that many people rightly point out that there is enough metal above ground to cover off the total jewellery demand. I offer these few observations as to why recycling will only ever be part of a more comprehensive approach to supply chain ethics.

People do not treat jewellery like tin cans. For many people they don’t recycle/scrap as their jewellery is sentimental or is treated as investment. To scrap jewellery is in many respects selling your future or your history, only something you do when you are extremely desperate.

The way the financial markets are set up to speculate on the price of gold and other metals, going up or down means there is always investment money to be made on trades that act like a ‘Hoover’ sucking all they can into the economy. This means new metal is always required. 2008 saw around 2600 tonnes of gold mined in one year.

Given that the majority of people employed in mining are small-scale miners driven to work in very marginal circumstances because of poverty, gold is cash in the ground that feed families and pay rents.

I have always found fascinating to note that largescale mining employs the fewest amount of people and drives over 80% of the value, whilst smallscale mining employs the majority yet is left with the crumbs from the table. The Old Testament prophets and the odd rock star would have a comment or two to make about this imbalance on the scales of justice. These simple facts alone have a huge influence on how far recycled metals can and will impact the overall ethical position of a piece of jewellery. Recycling certainly has value, it does not take any fresh metal from the ground, but it also does not challenge the overall economic structure that creates such a voracious appetite for new gold and has absolutely no impact on the poverty issues that drive people to small-scale mining. In today’s current ethical landscape I believe the strongest ethical position that a jeweller or a brand can adopt is to use fair trade, independently certified sources wherever possible and in the absence of a source that meets that criteria to adopt recycling as a practice. In short; Recycling = good practice Recycling + fair trade = current best practice Companies that supply recycled and/or certified fair trade metals to the UK market are Hoover & Stron and CRED Jewellery. Sources; The Birmingham Assay Office UK hallmarking figures Jan to March 2010 here The Silver Institute. World Silver Survey 2009 A Summary.

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