Keeping ethics in the spotlight and increasing participation

The old adage that “All publicity is good publicity” is not always true especially with a subject as volatile and far reaching as Fair Trade, ethics and green issues. Everyone has an opinion ranging from the denial of global warming at one end of the scale to ethical fantasists at the other.

Within the fashion industry principles of sustainability and ethical standards are already rife and constantly growing, improving and becoming more accepted. So how do we bring the jewellery industry in line with our fashion counterparts? How do we keep pushing developments? And, for those of us who are already ethical in our work, how do we disclose this without sounding like we are patronising others for not being so?

Fashion and jewellery have developed side by side over many generations. The two have overlapped regularly never more so than when fashion jewellery emerged. This recent arm of the jewellery industry works in the same way as the fashion industry with styles, colours, shapes and designs changing on a seasonal basis. The Fine Jewellery sector of the market also follows this but at a less rapid speed.

The most necessary factor in shifting the jewellery industry towards being more ethical is a genuine interest in the issues concerned by those trying to change. Opulent Ethics believes that Companies who become ethical for the sole intention of attracting more customers are almost as bad as those who ignore the issues altogether.

There are always stories about the plight of the environment and the peoples involved in the jewellery industry supply chain. In recent years we have seen the spotlight focusing on the Blood Diamond film, the Marange Diamond Fields in Zimbabwe, Naomi Campbell’s involvement in the Blood Diamond trial of the ex-Liberian leader Charles Taylor, the campaign to save Alaska’s Bristol Bay from being mined…the list goes on and on.    

The story behind the Ethical Fashion Forum (EFF), a non-profit organisation, also rings true for the jewellery industry. The EFF started with a group of individuals and small companies who were concerned about the impact their business-actions had on others. From initial meetings came the idea to share and disseminate relevant information, to share supplier and manufacturer information and to help spread the word about what they were doing and why to the larger fashion community.

Today the EFF has over 3000 members in 73 countries all networking, sharing new developments and information and taking part in the numerous events and shows arranged by the forum. The EFF is also as successful as it is due to its collaborations with big names in the fashion world which attracts the attention of students and new designers as well as the world’s media.

There are already inklings of similar organisations within the ethical jewellery industry with the start of the Fair Jewellery Action website which has the on-going intention of combining the knowledge and experience of established ethical jewellers including Greg Valerio, Marc Choyt, Cred Jewellery and Ute Decker. Each of these founder members has far reaching contacts which should be encouraged to join the revolution and then, hopefully, an Ethical Jewellery Forum may begin.

Developments within jewellery are happening constantly but consistent consumer pressure may be what the industry needs to really make big steps toward change. A large percentage of the jewellery industry population don’t know or care about ethical issues but as bigger names are catching on and becoming involved this will change. There is so much family history within the industry with many companies set in their ways and following their heritage rather than forward thinking developments. This is going to be a challenge to change.

There are numerous companies which already produce jewellery in an ethical or sustainable way. Some choose to overtly publicise their ethical intentions (Oria, Leblas, Cred, Fifi Bijoux, Avasarah) whilst other make changes quietly without pushing their choices at their consumers (Ute Decker, Bario-Neal, Daisy Knights, Saretta).  

Opulent Ethics is unsure about which of these works best but knows that both are as important as the other and that we need more companies like this to keep making changes. And whichever way a designer decides to go, transparency has got to be the key. At this early stage of setting up ethics as a serious sector of the jewellery industry it is important for designers to be realistic in what they can achieve and practice what they say in order to ensure that ethics does not keep coming to the fore in a negative light.

Overall, the best thing that anyone can do is share their findings, suppliers and experiences either through their products and advertising or by becoming members of groups or wiki-sites such as the Fair Jewellery Action website. Also, be prepared to talk to those who ask about a piece of ethical jewellery being worn and the reasons for wearing it. You may find that you end up having the same conversation again and again but, yes another antonym is being used, baby steps are a good start point.

That’s it for now….