Ethically Sourced Jewelry
Ethical sourcing is a popular topic among consumers as more people become aware of unfair wages and poor treatment of workers. You may be looking for ethically sourced jewelry to improve your buying habits and support fair labor laws around the world.
What Is Ethically Sourced Jewelry?
Ethically sourced jewelry involves fair pay and treatment for all employees involved in the supply chain.
Jewelers must source raw gemstones and metals from across the globe, requiring intensive mining processes. Some of these miners are poorly treated and exploited to reduce the cost of materials, which poses major ethical concerns for anyone who buys items made from these materials.
Responsibly sourced diamonds are often at the center of ethical jewelry conversations. However, diamonds are not the only materials where ethical sourcing plays a role. Ethical supply chain practices can involve all metals and gemstones used for jewelry.
Considerations for Ethically Sourced Jewelry
Ethical sourcing is an important factor for many conscientious consumers. If you wish to own ethically sourced jewelry exclusively, consider the following factors before purchasing.
Material Origins
Unethical labor practices are common in countries that lack government oversight. Talk to your jeweler to find out where the company most commonly sources materials. For example, countries like Namibia, Botswana, and Canada have strong standards in place for diamond mining. Many other countries do as well.
Transparency and Traceability
A brand that offers ethically sourced jewelry should provide complete transparency and traceability about its supply chain. Many brands focused on responsible sourcing will have supply chain policies published online. Alternatively, companies should provide these documents upon request.
Quality Over Quantity
In general, ethically sourced jewelry has a higher price point. When you purchase responsibly sourced jewelry, you help fund fair wages for all the laborers who mined materials for your piece. Lower jewelry prices may indicate cheaper material alternatives or unethical sourcing.
Brand Identity and Response
Be mindful of a jewelry brand’s identity and how the company responds to questions about its supply chain. Jewelers with ethical sourcing practices may have online resources dedicated to their supply chain. This information will mention sourcing as part of their process, and may even include maps highlighting countries they source from.
Most importantly, these brands will happily answer any questions related to materials sourcing. If you speak with a brand representative about the company’s supply chain, and they dodge the question, you may want to work with another jeweler.
Design Ethically Sourced Bespoke Jewelry With The Intrepid Wendell
The Intrepid Wendell creates unique pieces with a team of in-house GIA-certified gemologists. Our jewelry helps people celebrate weddings, engagements, anniversaries, and other special moments, and we want to share your joy. We ethically source our materials to create each custom piece, so your bespoke jewelry represents your story and values. Contact us today.