Love is in the Fair(trade) and it’s gold

The most romantic day of the year has been and gone but Valentines Day 2011 was like no other. No, Opulent Ethics was not inundated with sacks of cards, chocolates and roses…something much better happened. Yes, that’s right; Fairtrade and Fairmined gold finally arrived in the UK.

It has been a long journey for Fairtrade gold from leaving home in the Cotapata Mine, the worlds first Fairtrade mine, in Bolivia to arriving in the UK. Whilst some of us were eagerly awaiting the arrival of Fairtrade and Fairmined gold many others were not even aware it was on its way. So Opulent Ethics have had a look at the welcome reception that the UK offered.

World's first Fairtrade Fairmined gold bar with hallmarks

The Daily Mail spoke at length about how Fairtrade gold will help stop the exploitation of some of the worlds most vulnerable communities by helping mines ensure they reach certain standard conditions. The only problem is that it is not so simple to change your local mine overnight. Hopefully the Cotapata Mine will be an inspiration to others to follow suit.

The Ecologist tried to focus on the future and mentioned some of the big names such as Ingle & Rhode and Garrards who have signed up to become license holders and work with the gold.

The full list of those who are now licensed to work using the Fairtrade gold can be found on the site of the Jewellery Editor.

It was all finance, facts and figures in The Telegraph as they concentrated on how the Fairtrade food revolution worked and whether the gold can carry on the trend.

The Independent looked at which celebrities we can expect to see wearing Fairtrade gold jewellery (Livia Firth is rumoured to be intending to wear it on the red carpet at the Oscars).

And finally, Kate Carter, ethical extraordinaire with The Guardian, let rip with a long piece on the real intention of all Fairtrade products; to stop the abject horror faced by those who get us our coffee, bananas and now gold.

It is nice to see that, despite the story not gaining as much attention as it deserves that it has been done some justice!

That’s all for now….

Ute Decker and Linnie McLarty’s pop-art!

Everything has a “pop” to it these days…pop tarts, pop art, pop music, even pop-up shops and the latest is a pop up gallery. Taking place on

Columbia Road

in Hackney, an area renowned for its sweet smelling Sunday Flower Market this month long exhibition space definitely has the snap, crackle and pop!

Opulent Ethics were lucky enough to be invited to the preview evening on Thursday where we got to view some of the first Fairtrade gold nuggets which goes on sale on Monday 14^th February.

Both Ute Decker’s and Linnie McLarty’s jewellery looked stunning in its new home in Gallery 94 at 94 Columbia Road. There had been an amazing transformation of the space from, what is normally, a fully-functioning workshop, into a sleek, clean beautiful display space for the 2 designer-makers.

Both Ute and Linnie created new pieces which will be produced in the world’s first Fairtrade gold from Cotapata Mine in Bolivia, when it becomes available on Valentines Day. Alongside these beautiful new pieces were ranges of Ute Decker’s sculptural jewellery made from recycled silver and sunflower bio-resin and Linnie McLarty’s colourful, enamelled, clever brooches and hand-made jewellery.

Ute Decker's PURE Arm Sculpture in gold

Linnie McClarty's Brooch

So how did the jewellery look in Fairtrade gold? Did it have an extra sparkle to it? Ute believes that;

“you first fall in love with this jewellery because of the beauty, boldness, and uniqueness of it‘s appearance, and then you learn about it’s inner beauty and ethical make-up and fall in love all over again”.

And Opulent Ethics has to agree. This new gold signifies actual improvements in the lives and environment of mining communities.

And it certainly seems to have got people talking. Esteemed guests at the event included Maurice Mullen from the Evening Standard, Laura McCreddie Editor at Retail Jeweller, Muriel Wilson from the Association of Contemporary Jewellery, Victoria Waugh from the Fairtrade Foundation and Della Tinsley, the Managing Director of London Jewellery Week.

But, more importantly, Juana Pena Endora from the Cotapata Cooperative in Bolivia, the world's first Fairtrade and Fairmined mine, and Manuel Reinoso Rivas, a Peruvian miner and Vice-Chair for the Alliance for Responsible Mining in Peru were in attendance. Both miners had experienced flying and left their respective countries for the first time to take part in the release of Fairtrade gold in the UK. So far they have attended and spoken at events in London, met with those who will be working with the gold, such as Weston Beamor who will be licensed to cast using the gold, at Birmingham’s Jewellery Show and, when we spoke to them, were on their way to Wales to see how mining in the UK compares to that at home.

Opulent Ethics thinks that it was truly valuable and inspiring to see and meet these people who work day and night to acquire the materials that we use to produce our work. These are the people who are fighting to make changes for themselves and their communities and are the people that initiatives, such as Fairtrade gold, is trying to reach. We think that it is time for the curtain to rise and for names and faces to be put to the millions of people who are involved in small-scale, artisanal mining and who have been anonymous for too long.   

For both Juana and Manuel their journey seems to have been an eye-opening education but, hopefully, may have reassured them that they are not alone in their fight. Some of the biggest names in jewellery are now coming together to improve the chances of Fairtrade gold and, by default, those whose lives are entangled in its production.

During the evening Juana was presented with one of Linnie’s silver Chrysanthemum rings which she had tried on in gold earlier in the evening. This generous gift by Linnie was met with incredulity and tears. Hopefully it will be taken back to Bolivia as a symbol of the hope and faith that we all have in the success of Fairtrade and Fairmined gold and, more importantly, in the belief that we can all work together to improve the lives of Juanas and Manuels everywhere.   

      

 

Juana Pena Endora wearing Linnie McClarty's Chrysanthemum Ring in gold

For further information and photos of the evening please see Ute Decker’s website. For other stories regarding the release of Fairtrade and Fairmined gold please see the Professional Jeweller website. And if you wish to see the beautiful jewellery for yourself, Gallery 94 is open until Sunday 27^th February and is definitely worth a look.

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….

Opulent Ethics gets technical

As we move nearer to the Opulent Ethics website becoming live it seemed like the right time to expand our on-line profile. So this week Opulent Ethics have set up a dedicated Twitter page, Facebook page and LinkedIn page.

This now means that we are now accessible from all over the place.

See the Opulent Ethics Twitter page for quick links to what we are writing about or doing.

  

Opulent Ethics Twitter Page

The Opulent Ethics Facebook page will be updated with events as they happen.

Opulent Ethics Facebook Page - Search for opulentethics

And the Opulent Ethics’ LinkedIn page will allow us to be in constant contact with people within the jewellery industry.

Opulent Ethics LinkedIn Page

So if you want to follow or hear from us, use any of the links above or click on the relevant icons on this page.

That’s all for now….

Designers block

One of Opulent Ethics’ main beliefs is that good design and ethical or sustainable design do not have to be mutually exclusive. But when we hit a big old designers block this week we were left floundering for any sort of design. So we thought we would have a look at some of the new, fun and exciting designs which other people are managing to come up with (we are not jealous!).

Opulent Ethics is a fan of the outdoors, flora, fauna and all things wild but this combination of transport and animal left us with a big confused smile on our faces. Sometimes design doesn’t need a reason.

Horsey bike attachment by Eungi Kim

These are possibly not the most wearable of paper dresses (what with the amount of rainfall we get in the UK!) but Amila Hrustic is inspired by tetrahedrons, cubes, octahedrons, dodecahedrons and icosahedrons and applies them to her fashion.

Cubic dress by Amila Hrustic  

Inspired by a flower opening this elegant structure was designed by Petra Architects for a competition in Dubai. Opulent Ethics love the flow, suggested movement and transparency of this breathtaking building.

Blossoming Dubai by Petra Architects

Definitely one for the youngsters; these earphones are quirky and fun and will definitely make you look twice. We are not too sure about the sushi earphones but particularly love the bolt version.

Crazy earphones by Solid Alliance

And finally, as we head off for our 8^th cup of coffee, which we hope will help us overcome our designers block, how about something fun to drink it from?

Camera Lens cup

That’s all for now….