Oro Verde gold competition coming to Birmingham School of Jewellery

Students at Birmingham City University’s School of Jewellery will have a golden opportunity to take part in an exciting competition next week. The collaborative competition is being run jointly by the University and Oro Verde as a way of increasing knowledge of and interest in Fair Trade gold.

BCU School of Jewellery

Ami Choco region

The competition winners will have their designs promoted through Oro Verde and there is a chance that the pieces may be produced by artisanal crafts people from the Oro Verde community in Columbia.

Included in the competition briefing, which takes part next week, will be a visit by representatives from the Choco Bioregion who are in the UK for London Jewellery Week. As part of their trip they will visit Birmingham for a tour of the jewellery quarter and the School of Jewellery as well as meeting the students who are taking part.

And if that wasn’t exciting enough, there will be some well known names on the judging panel too!

Keep an eye out here for information on how the competition is running throughout next week.

That’s all for now….

Fairtrade fortnight festivities!

The last couple of weeks has been the annual Fairtrade Fortnight; a two week homage to all things Fairtrade. You may have been to one of the craft fairs which have been taking place or noticed that Fairtrade events have been plastered all over Facebook and Twitter. Whatever you have bought, seen or done over the past two weeks they all make a difference.

Fairtrade Fortnight 2011 poster

According to recent research undertaken by the Fairtrade Foundation, awareness of Fairtrade Fortnight this year was up by 10 million people since Fairtrade Fortnight 2010. That is a massive increase. Opulent Ethics hopes it keeps going.

If you have been on the Fairtrade Foundation website you will have noticed the massive amount of work that they have put into the event; encouraging Fairtrade towns, schools and church groups to take part, offering awards for those supporters who have really bent over backwards to raise awareness and even setting daily challenges on Facebook and Twitter to get you involved.

Of course, Fairtrade has already had an enormous impact on the jewellery industry so far this year with the release of Fairtrade and Fairmined gold on Valentines Day. This was then followed by the announcement that the wedding rings worn by Prince William and Kate Middleton may be Fairtrade. You can be just like Opulent Ethics and sign the GoPetition petition to convince the royal couple that their rings will be more beautiful if they use Fairtrade gold. And then there was Livia Firth wearing Fairtrade gold and a dress made of 11 other dresses on the Oscars Red Carpet. Busy busy busy!

Livia Firth wearing Anna Loucah's Fairtrade gold ring for the 2011 Oscars

And why is this of so much importance? Well, according to the Fairtrade Foundation there are 7.5 million people who work under Fairtrade principles to improve their lifestyles and communities and it is events like those taking place during Fairtrade Fortnight which are needed to continue raising awareness and increasing the numbers of people and communities that Fairtrade can reach out to.

With Fairtrade profits and participants rising year on year 2011 is going to be another exciting and busy year for all those who are involved. So well done to all who took part and keep up the hard work!

That’s all for now….

Birmingham’s Spring Fair lacks in the ethics department

Opulent Ethics visited the 2011 Spring Fair at Birmingham’s NEC this week where there were over 400 exhibitors at the Jewellery Show section with new designers and big names rubbing shoulders.
Despite all of this we were disappointed by the lack of anything much ethical on the agenda. 

26 free seminars including trend talks, information on marketing for e-commerce and lectures on Intellectual Property rights were available but, sadly, only 1 of these concerned ethics. Opulent Ethics find it very strange that there was so much interest in ethics at IJL 2010 back in September and then come February of the following year, on the eve of Fairtrade gold being released the only mention is 1 talk on the pro’s and con’s of buying Fair Trade.

Of course there were some wonderful pieces of jewellery on show, especially in the Design Section, and it was great to find that there were some ethical exhibitors including Sara Preisler, Leju Designs, Earth Works and Out of Peru but we felt that we really had to search them out.

Sara Preisler pendant

Sarah Ho Mari earrings

James Newman rings

  

We here at Opulent Ethics think that it is a great shame that one of the biggest jewellery shows in the UK is not acknowledging one of the biggest issues in the jewellery trade and not making a point of highlighting a very important section of the trade.

So did we manage to find any evidence of other companies changing their ethics? Yes we did. After noticing some advertising on the side of the Weston Beamor stand and chatting to some of the staff we were pleasantly surprised to hear that Weston Beamor are now fully licensed to cast using Fairtrade gold. One disadvantage, however, is that anyone who wishes to cast using the gold also has to be licensed. Things are never easy or straightforward!

And elsewhere in the news; in Retail Jeweller magazine we managed to find a 55 word article on Ute Decker and Linnie McLarty’s Fairtrade gold pop-up shop which opens this week and a letter from Greg Valerio regarding the great work that ARM and FLO have done in bringing the Fairtrade gold idea to fruition. What is happening to this world when big news like the release of Fairtrade gold barely hits page 17 let alone the headlines?!   

That’s a very disappointed all for now….

Read all about it; the standards behind Fair Trade gold

Opulent Ethics have been talking about the release of Fair Trade gold for quite a while now but we thought it was about time we looked a bit deeper into what makes Fair Trade gold special.

The launch of Fair Trade gold coincides with the most romantic day of the year; Valentines Day. Despite all the love in the air, Opulent Ethics thought it was important to understand what makes this gold Fair Trade? Who is certifying it? And how can we get involved?

Fairtrade and Fairmined gold

We all know about Fair Trade premiums which are paid to coffee pickers, cotton pickers and fruit growers currently working under Fair Trade principles and that these premiums help 7.5 million people worldwide, but how does this apply to gold miners?

Under the new standards, pure, unrefined Fair Trade gold will be bought at a minimum of 95% of the London Bullion Market Association price. This price threshold is set within the principles of the scheme meaning a certain level of security for those involved.   

On top of the 95% price 2 premiums are paid. 10% extra is paid for the gold as a Fair Trade Social Premium. This money goes to the community rather than a co-operative of miners or a mining company, and is used to improve amenities and services such as education, health, water and electricity. This ensures that Fair Trade is reaching more than just those who work for them.

An additional 5% will be paid for gold which is mined without the use of damaging chemicals and to miners who work to restore the mining area to its natural habitat once mining has ceased. The restoration process is ongoing and aims to work with the natural ecology of the area whilst bringing more money in. For example, an area may be replanted with native crops which can then be farmed for additional income.

Where chemicals are currently being used the Fair Trade system is working towards ensuring that they are used and disposed of as safely as possible without damage to humans or the environment. The overall aim is to stop the use of chemicals and rely on natural mining techniques. 

The Fairtrade Foundation is working towards giving the mining co-operatives more power by cutting out middle men. In doing this the actual miners are receiving more money for the gold and healthy markets and competition are encouraged. This extra power also brings increased confidence within communities.

Finally, the money made from Fair Trade gold will not go towards funding conflict and the Fairtrade Foundation hope to bring increased stability to areas where conflict may occur.

Fair Trade gold is being certified by 2 separate organisations. The Fair Labelling Organisation’s (FLO) UK member; the Fairtrade Foundation and the Association for Responsible Mining (ARM). The FLO control and apply sanctions to the use of the Fair Trade mark and the ARM are providing the second, ecological mark to the cause. Both are rigorous in ensuring that internationally recognised standards are rigorously met.

So how can we help? The 2 new hallmarks; Fair Trade gold and Fair Mined gold, mean that there is now a visual reference for our consumer decisions and we can decide to purchase these items rather than non-Fair Trade gold items, just like we do with our tea and chocolate.

Fairtrade and Fairmined hallmarks

Also, as consumers, we can use our voice. If your favourite jewellery store or designer do not use Fair Trade gold then you can ask them why. Consumer opinion is a very strong tool and, when used wisely, can lead to the lives of others being improved.

And if there are any jewellery makers out there who are wondering how to get involved then you can register as a license holder by contacting Victoria Waugh at the Fairtrade Foundation (gold@fairtrade.org.uk) who will be able to explain the process and its benefits to you.

That’s all for now…. 

The start of the Fairtrade gold rush!

Opulent Ethics have previously mentioned that Fairtrade Certified Gold is being launched on Valentine’s Day this year and that the Fairtrade Hallmark will be part of this. As Valentine’s Day is now creeping closer, over the next few weeks, Opulent Ethics will be reporting on the preparations for, events during and reaction after this milestone event.

There is still currently very little being said about the events which are planned but both Ute Decker and Linnie McLarty have started talking about and advertising their pop-up shop which they will be using to preview their first foray into Fairtrade gold. The pop-up shop will be running for a month from 6^th – 27^th February at 94 

Columbia Road

in London.

Ute Decker is already renowned for her beautiful sculptural jewellery which has previously been made from 100% recycled silver and bio-resin (derived from sunflower seeds) but as one of the first jewellers who are licensed to use Fairtrade gold, her work is about to take on a totally different aesthetic.

Ute Decker arm piece in 100% recycled silver

Opulent Ethics have always loved Ute’s work in silver as the colour and finish of the silver compliments the designs and shapes that she creates. We are, however, very excited about seeing Ute’s new range, PURE, in Fairtrade gold as she is going to be one of the figure heads for the whole Fairtrade gold movement.

 Ute Decker arm piece in Fairtrade gold

 

Linnie McLarty has used more colour and more varied materials in her work. Inspired by the natural and aquatic worlds some of her pieces make use of the wearers clothing within themselves. This ensures that the same piece of Linnie’s jewellery looks different and individual on each different wearer.

Linnie McLarty "Poppi" brooches

By using various metals, stones, and, more recently, enamels, Linnie creates different bodies of work which appear to link the disciplines of jewellery, silversmithing, sculpture, fashion and art. Like with Ute, it will be very interesting to see how Linnie’s work has developed and been affected by the new material of Fairtrade gold.

Linnie McLarty "Poppi" brooch

Opulent Ethics will be popping along to Ute and Linnie’s pop-up shop in February and will let you know what we see. This first event promises to be a spectacular, eye-opening first dip into the Fairtrade gold waters.

That’s all for now….

A gold mine that we can be proud to use!

Opulent Ethics are a bit behind the times in this post. Over the Christmas / New Year festive period news emerged of Cotapata, the worlds first Fair-trade, Fair-mined gold mine opening in Bolivia. So how fair is it? And does it sound too fair to be true?

On the negative side, the mine is placed in a National Park. The mine was in action before National Park status was awarded to the area but it must still be remembered that even with certified clean and fair practices, mining is still a destructive and dirty business.

  Road in the Yungas cloud forest

The Cotapata National Park is considered tiny at 583 sq-km and is situated near to La Paz where workers can commute from and where the gold is exported to for refining and deployment elsewhere. Laid across hills and mountains with elevations of almost 4,500m, the Cotapata National Park makes up part of the Yungas Cloud Forest. The hot, humid, rainy weather in the region makes this region full of flora and fauna which is still being discovered. More common vegetation includes avocado, coffee, guava and citrus fruits. It is also believed that the Yungas region also contains the last remaining evergreen forests which originated due to the Quaternary glaciers. It is, therefore, an area which requires protection.

The Cotapata mine is, currently, producing 3kg of gold per month. A quick search on the internet reveals that other, non-ethical, large scale mines can produce in the region of 2000kg per month. So the amount is small but everything has to start somewhere.

So what are the positive things about the mine? It produces 3kg of gold per month. Large-scale mines are able to produce the amount they do because of the more harmful processes they employ and destructive machinery they use. To have a mine which is not only Fair-trade (paying a fair wage to its workers and a premium to local communities) but Fair-mined (more environmentally friendly techniques are used) is amazing and all involved should be very proud.

Cotapata Fair-trade, Fair-mined gold mine workers

It is 3^rd party certified. This has to be the main positive point about this. Here is a decisive move towards having fully transparent supply chains in the ethical jewellery industry, something that we have been waiting a long time for.

As well as the certification there are numerous renowned organisations which have been involved in the development of the mine including; the Fairtrade Labelling Organisation and the Alliance for Responsible Mining, both of whom are big players in the world of ethical jewellery and, in this instance, are able to lend their support and, therefore, their members confidence in Cotapata.

And then of course, there are all the wonderful positives which are normally associated with Fair-trade; a fair price for the produce (for Cotapata there have been problems with the export taxes in Bolivia which will now be overcome), improvement in local communities (education is being improved in a neighbouring village), improved work standards (the mine accommodation and facilities are being improved) and work ethics (women and men are employed equally and all are paid well above the average Bolivian miners wage).

Also, by coming under the banner of Fair Trade, this gold has a market already existing for it. The miners or their representatives will not have to search very far to find ethically conscious jewellers who are willing to pay that little bit more for that clean, traceable supply chain and Opulent Ethics believe it won’t be very long until we see other small-scale mines following in Cotapata’s very wise footsteps!

That’s all for now….

Vegetable Ivory the new material in fine jewellery?

This week Opulent Ethics have been working with vegetable ivory (real name Tagua) for our new range which will be produced in early 2011. We bought the nuts in their rawest form from Ockenden Timber in Wales and have spent the time since experimenting with what the ivory can and cannot do.

Tagua nuts in their raw form

Tagua nut is taken from the Palm Nut Tree in the Amazonian rainforest. The nuts grow in clusters on the tree and once harvested they are dried for between 6 – 8 weeks. The trees are sustainably grown and reach maturity in between 3 – 8 years. Once the nuts drop to the floor they can be harvested. The drying process leaves an extremely strong nut which can be used with carving, turning, jewellery or figurine production. The material provides jobs for hundreds of farmers in and around the Amazon.

Projects have been established by numerous organisations in the region to bring the nuts to prominence as a way of protecting the already endangered rainforests. By using the nuts as a sustainable crop jobs and wealth are being brought to the area allowing infrastructure to be developed.

So how do you use it and what can be done with it? Emily Richardson is a jeweller who uses vegetable ivory in her 1920’s inspired pieces. She uses the ivory in its natural form and colour, shaping and polishing the nut into chunky shapes before combining it with 18ct gold. Other jewellers who use the material include LeJu Designs who produce colourful jewellery and beads.

So how will Opulent Ethics use it? This is what we are currently working on and we are designing around what we have discovered in our experiments. We know that the material can be carved into exquisite shapes with much detail due to the research we have been doing on Japanese Netsuke carving. Vegetable ivory has been used for many years in the wood turning industry and Opulent Ethics have managed to have some of our tagua turned into cabochon shaped pieces.

 Cabochon cut vegetable ivory

Using exciting laser technology we have been able to cut and engrave the ivory with beautifully accurate detail. Experiments using the laser cutter-marker machine at our disposal has shown us that the best results are on slices no thicker than 3.5mm for cutting and require the laser to pass over the piece numerous times in order to cut through the material. This may restrict our designs somewhat.

 Laser cut vegetable ivory slice

Engraving through the skin of the nut leaves a beautiful, clean line whereas engraving on the ivory coloured inner material leaves some discolouration on the flesh which requires cleaning up afterwards. The lines are neat but the need for cleaning afterwards means extra work which slows the process of assembling the jewellery pieces.      

Carving by hand is a little bit more difficult due to the hardness of the material but is a delight to work with. The material cleans up nicely and can be polished to a high sheen. There is also a lovely contrast between the dark brown of the skin and the pale, clean ivory of the inner.

Overall, Opulent Ethics is looking forward to creating some beautiful fine jewellery pieces using this new and exciting material. We are hoping to use Fair Trade gold and ethically sourced stones within our pieces so watch this space!

That’s all for now. See you in 2011!....

The price of going ethical

Whenever you tell anyone that you are an ethical jeweller the question most people ask is “how much more money does it cost?” It appears that the world view of ethical and environmental products is that they cost more money. So is this true for ethical jewellery or can we produce our jewellery for a price relative to non-ethical jewellery?

The city view Fair Trade and ethical products in a purely financial way and this should be the way that we also aim to work. Products should be sourced responsibly but in a cost effective way. Mass production is cheaper than bespoke one-off products so it is important to find where and how mass production techniques can be undertaken at a reasonable price and within the a way that fits our ethos.

That is not to say that ethical jewellery cannot be bespoke but the mark-up price will have to be significant to cover other extra costs.

During our time using ethically sourced materials Opulent Ethics has always paid the same price for recycled silver as for non-recycled silver. We source our recycled silver from Cred who base their price on the daily Cookson pricing of silver.

Fair Trade gold is not the same. On average Fair Trade gold is 10% above the gold spot price whereas ecologically mined Fair Trade gold is 15% above the daily gold spot price. Currently, this means that buyers are paying an extra £4 for their Fair Trade gold per gram.

It must be remembered, though, that this additional money is going to do good. It supports the small-scale mines and communities which mine the materials. Some of the money goes towards improving infrastructure, education and health facilities ensuring that the lives of the people who work and live near the mines are improved.

It is possible that some money may go to middle men. So if you want to reduce costs you should ensure that you obtain your products, where possible, direct from the source or from responsible, reputable suppliers.

David Hargreaves, from Fair Trade Gemstones said during the Great Debate at International Jewellery London (IJL) this summer that the future aim for ethical jewellery is to have 5% of the jewellery market in 15 years producing and using 5 tonnes of fair trade gold per year. This is still a long way off but is definitely a reachable goal.

Small designers may not be able to afford to be 100% ethical yet so it is important to ensure that costs of ethical materials become manageable and in relation to non-ethical materials and the hope is that, over time, costs will be reduced and may even become equal.

It is, therefore, important that small designer makers like Opulent Ethics continue to pledge our support for ethical jewellery by working with the materials we can afford and by promoting ethical jewellery to our contacts and customers. Then, hopefully one day soon the costs of ethical jewellery can become more manageable.

That’s all for now….  

Green design and good design do not need to be mutually exclusive

This week at Opulent Ethics we have been working to a set customer brief. The basics of this are:

·               We are provided with a stone or stones to produce a pendant or earrings

·               Item should be produced using CAD software

·               Maximum weight is 25g of metal

·               Pieces to be produced in silver by JewelCast casters

·               No additional stones to be used

·               Design should be different to current items on the market, exciting and high quality.

As an ethical jeweller our main concerns were the stone and the casting. After speaking to the customer we were pleased to learn that the stone we would be given was either recycled or mined under fair trade conditions.

The casting company, JewelCast were more of a problem. Luckily Opulent Ethics met Vipa Designs at International Jewellery London in September. Vipa are a casting company based in Melton Mowbray who can cast in and provide recycled silver and Fair Trade gold in various alloys. They are also able to help their customers design, CAD, stone set and finish their pieces, providing an all round design service.

In this case Opulent Ethics were lucky enough to ensure that we could maintain our ethical credentials whilst still meeting our set brief. This got us thinking about whether good design and green design are mutually exclusive or whether there are things we can do to ensure our products are always produced in a way we are happy with.

We think that the most important thing to do is set your own boundaries; what are you happy, unhappy with doing. At Opulent Ethics our plan is:

·               All metals will be recycled or fair trade (including making master patterns for casting)

·               After heat processes metals will be cleaned using citric acid rather than standard harmful chemical pickle

·               Stones will be UK sourced, certified ethically mined or recycled

·               Use processes which can be ethically undertaken; casting, oxidising, polishing

·               Produce designs with as small amount of waste as possible

·               Recycle waste materials

·               Use recycled papers for printing and packaging and soya inks for printing

·               Use green- hosting companies for blogs and websites

·               Where possible, source findings and other extras from ethical producers

Things that Opulent Ethics will not do include:

·               Use processes which are less than ethical or which use harmful chemicals; plating

·               Work with companies who are against working ethically (they do not have to already be working ethically, just be willing to change)

·               Use metals or stones which do not fit with our material specifications

Working within such clear boundaries makes work decisions and choices simpler and ensures that you never compromise your beliefs or produce anything you are not satisfied with.

Great believers in the idea that green design and good design can be one and the same are Inhabitat, a weblog based on this entire principle which includes information and links to all sectors of the design market; architecture, fashion, gadgets, transport, graphics, products…the list goes on. Their main interest is in

“…design innovations that enhance sustainability, efficiency, and interactivity in the home, Inhabitat’s attention is focused on objects and spaces that are eco-friendly, multi-purpose, modular, and/or interactive. We believe that good design balances substance with style”.

They are interested in ensuring that the useful designs which will change the way we live are packaged in a sexy, attractive way to ensure consumer interest and success. We here at Opulent Ethics feel that, even though our designs or ethical jewellery in general are not going to change the world for the better, our designs still need to be top quality, desirable and striking in order to capture and win consumer votes.

So we here at Opulent Ethics will be following Inhabitat’s lead and ensuring that our future work and designs are

“…inherently “Green”. Good deign is not about colour, style or trends – but instead about thoughtfully considering the user, the experience, the social context and the impact of an object on the surrounding environment. No design can be considered good design unless it at least attempts to address some of these concerns”.

 Inhabitat Homeless Tent

 Inhabitat Chop-Flops made from recycled chopsticks

Inhabitat's 1 laptop per child programme 

We will keep you updated on how our latest green design is getting on….

What is ethical jewellery and can it ever be 100% ethical?

You may have heard people say that to be truly ethical would mean not producing or wearing jewellery. Jewellery has adorned the body for millennia indicating social status, wealth or for beauty and this is not about to change now. Here at Opulent Ethics we are of the opinion that jewellery is staying put and the best thing we can do is to change consumer opinion so that those who purchase jewellery begin questioning where their products come from.

To be 100% ethical is very difficult and may even be near impossible at this time so the best piece of advice we here at Opulent Ethics can give is to choose your battles wisely. With our jewellery we began by sourcing UK recycled silver from a responsible source, Cred, whilst trying to keep our carbon footprint as small as possible by using UK gem stones. By using Western sources for metals and gems stones you are able to ensure they are fairly mined.

The ethical jewellery produced by Opulent Ethics uses materials which are obtained from sources that impact as little as possible on the environment and local communities. Examples of our ethical choices include ensuring gems are not from countries where money from their sale funds war or conflict and silver is acquired from a company which recycles industry and left over jewellery silver. In the future, where Opulent Ethics decides to use gold this will be Fair Trade and acquired from family run small-scale mines which use alluvial mining techniques such as panning rather than large open pit mines which obtain their gold using chemical techniques. For information on the impact of mining see the No Dirty Gold website.

Sustainable materials such as wool, woods or seeds are another possibility. Opulent Ethics are hoping to be working with vegetable ivory this year and will keep you up to date on all we find out.

It has become evident recently that artisanal techniques such as filigree are making a comeback in jewellery. Craftsmanship is now very important in design and consumers want to see evidence of these hand skills in their purchases. This is a positive for ethical jewellers such as Leblas who have been trying to resurrect traditional Spanish filigree skills in recent years.

Leblas’ De Blas Tanzanite Ring

Leblas’ collections are produced by filigree artisans in Spanish workshops whose skills have been passed down through centuries of perfected craftsmanship. They also ensure that their pieces are produced using sustainable practices, using materials and running their business in a socially, environmentally and culturally responsible way.

Overall, ethical jewellery should be based on fair trade principles. By this we mean that all involved in the supply chain should be paid a fair wage and they and their environment should not be exploited. You can go as far as ensuring that chemicals used in your studio are less harmful and are disposed of responsibly.

Here at Opulent Ethics we have made our choices as to how we can be as ethical as possible within the limits of today’s jewellery trade. Sadly, these limits mean that it is currently not always possible for our jewellery to be 100% ethical but we are constantly working towards moving nearer to this goal and we hope that one day soon it will be possible. Because of this we feel that transparency is very important as we do not want to mislead our consumers. We are open and honest about all the materials and techniques we have used whilst producing and manufacturing our products and we hope that this gives possible consumers the confidence they need to believe in our products.

That’s all for now…. 

How ethical was IJL 2010?

Having recently visited International Jewellery London (IJL) in early September we at Opulent Ethics were astonished by the number of complimentary seminars which focused on ethical issues within the jewellery trade. IJL say they are dedicated to promoting and investing in current issues which affect the industry but we were impressed that 5 of the 48 seminars, nearly 10%, were related to ethical jewellery.

Three of the seminars made up the crowning glory of the seminar programme; The Great Debate. Sadly, we were only able to attend the final seminar in the series; Ethical Jewellery – from ideal to reality, which brought together David Hargreaves from Fairtrade Gemstones, Jonathan Lambert from Ethically Precious and Ute Decker from Ute Decker Sculptural Jewellery. Whilst the debate started slowly the topics soon being covered included; sourcing issues, traceability, whether ethical jewellery can be a viable business plan and the best way to convey ethical intentions.    

Throughout the debate David Hargreaves, who has worked with mining companies for years stressed that mining is now integral to modern society and will not end. We should, therefore, be moving towards mining with care. His company, Fairtrade Gemstones has 100% traceability from source mines to retail and is able to offer for sale most stones. David Hargreaves also believes that the City view ethics in a purely financial way and that if ethical jewellery is to become a viable business it will be necessary for ethical brands to offer their products at an equal price point to non-ethical brands.

Jonathan Lambert spoke about changing consumer opinion by bringing ethical jewellery to the high street which he is doing with his Chaos collection. He also believes that you must have confidence in your products to be able to help spread the word about ethics.

Ute Decker responded to questions regarding how to get the ethical message across. Ute Decker feels that conversation is the way forward. She always wears pieces of her sculptural jewellery and uses them to spark interest and conversation, without which, non-ethically conscious people will not become aware of the issues.

Overall, The Great Debate and IJL are valuable tools for ensuring ethics becomes more widespread within the trade but there are still problems. Certification and standardization is required throughout the ethical supply chain. One of the companies which should be at the front of this is the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) who chaired The Great Debate. After questions regarding their intentions, the RJC were forced to admit that, despite having 250 members, and aiming to make their mandate industry-wide, they are yet to audit any of their members and this may take up to 2 years to complete. Still a long way to go!

Other seminars attended by Opulent Ethics included The Impact of Green Issues On-line. This was given by Michelle Tuck the Creative Director of Avasarah an ethical jewellery company and e-tailer. Whilst most of this seminar covered well trodden ground she did bring one new issue to our attention. Whilst speaking about how social media is the new way to call for change she also explained that by using these sites we open our brands up to being owned as much by our consumers as by ourselves due to freedom of speech. This is definitely something we at Opulent Ethics will be thinking about in the future.

Finally we attended Ute Decker’s Ethical Jewellery – how business and designers can become more ethical in their trading and production. Of all the seminars we attended this was by far the most useful and most well attended. Ute Decker spoke openly and frankly about the pitfalls of making ethical jewellery and her reasons for choosing to do so. The practical information she supplied was as relevant and helpful to those who are starting out or trying to become more ethical as it was to those who are already working ethically. Topics covered included suppliers of materials, office supplies, hosting sites and energy suppliers. For all this information and more visit the ethical jewellery resources section of Ute Decker's website. She also spoke at length about Fair Trade gold and its future developments but we will talk about this in another post though as we think this is enough for our first outing!

Bye for now....