Ethical Metalsmiths Organizes Jewelers In A Gold Buy In Support Of Fairmined Certification Standards
Introduction: This is a historical initiative in context to ethical sourcing in North America. On behalf of Fair Jewelry Action, I offer my congratulations to Ethical Metalsmiths, ARM (FAIRMINED), Hoover and Strong, the miners from Auresa, and all the excellent ethical jewelers who are participating in this purchase of this ethically sourced gold. Marc Choyt, FJA USA.
Miners, jewelers and a US refiner join together to support Fairmined certification standards as a consortium of US jewelers working directly with artisanal mining communities in Peru to bring traceable, responsible, artisanally mined gold into the US Market.
Rosa Reyes, President of AURELSA, Fairmined certified gold mine in Peru, leads her 86 member cooperative to put 100% traceable, artisanally mined gold into the skilled hands of a broad-base of pioneering US jewelers for the first time ever. These pioneering jewelers, organized by non-profit organization, Ethical Metalsmiths (EM), are using this premium gold to actively re-write the story of jewelry.
“The goal for responsible sourcing isn’t just to offer materials that lessen the negative impact of our industry, but instead to create alternatives that can provide a positive impact in the communities and environments where these resources are extracted. Fairmined gold is a material with a story we want to share.” (Anna Bario of Bario-Neal)
Ethical Metalsmiths is working with Hoover and Strong, a leading US precious metals refiner known for its 100% certified recycled metals, to create a 100% traceable pathway from Relave, Peru to individual jewelers around the US, and ultimately into the hands of US consumers.
“For over 100 years, Hoover & Strong has prided itself in our use of environmentally-friendly processes, energy conservation, recycling and our support of basic human rights around the world.
To that end, we feel this is a great opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of artisan miners. Artisanal mining communities are often exploited and work in unhealthy, unregulated and dangerous environments. With the support of Hoover & Strong and the committed list of artisan jewelers, certified mining communities like AURELSA will be able to improve their lives significantly due to the generation of more wealth and improved working conditions.
Hoover & Strong looks forward to our role in creating a 100% traceable pathway of artisanal mined gold from mine to market.
All precious metal products manufactured at Hoover & Strong are currently recycled from non-mined sources and fall under the HARMONY brand. But, as we look to the future for responsible sourcing alternatives, our support of traceable, responsible, artisanally mined gold may be the next evolutionary step in Hoover & Strong’s Harmony brand!” (Torry Hoover of Hoover & Strong)
EM’s NEW Ethical Sourcing Consortium of Jewelers represents an unprecedented level of commitment from jewelers in the US to collectively support a specific mining community and promote a level of sustainability that the miners and their families deserve.
It is a significant opportunity for jewelers and their customers to cross the cultural divide and understand the complex economic, logistical, and political issues miners face in acquiring these precious materials and reaching the market. The Consortium’s pilot purchase of gold from AURELSA is just the first of many direct source jewelry material purchases planned for the group’s future.
“This is about more than just replacing one material with another. It’s about the relationships and the story this material represents. It’s about reestablishing the entire way we think about the objects we purchase, and how we purchase them, the impact our businesses and our buying habits have on the world around us, and the meaning embedded at the very core of our most precious talismans and keepsakes. This is about living every day with a sense of responsibility for the legacy of what we are creating and the desire to bring beauty and humanity back to the forefront of everyday life.“ (Martin Taber, Jeweler and Ethical Metalsmiths Futuring Committee Chair)
Jewelers participating in the Ethical Sourcing Consortium share a sincere commitment, providing the creative bridge between responsible miners and consumers who want to know the true impacts and benefits of their jewelry purchases. In addition to educating the end consumer, member jewelers commit to paying the Alliance for Responsible Mining’s 10% FAIRMINED premium, required when purchasing gold from any of their fully certified mines. This additional Premium gets earmarked for more long-term programs that help the mining communities address local community and environmental concerns.
The twenty-three jewelers participating in this first purchase include:
Kara | Daniel Jewelry, Bario-Neal, Sharón Chandally Pedrini, East Forth Street, Erin S. Daily, Jennifer Dewey Jewelry Designs, Devta Doolan, VK Designs, Susan Drews Watkins, Judy Geib Plus Alpha, J.K Haiman Designs, Rx Rox, Edward Lay, Jan Mandel, Merzatta Design, Rosanne Pugliese, Amy Schilling, Taber Studios, Martin Taber Designs, Irene Weinz
, Brilliant Earth, Allison Ullmer and McTeigue & McClelland
Consumers looking for jewelry made with Fairmined gold by these pioneering artists participating in the Consortium should look for a website to be launched in the new year by Ethical Metalsmiths. The new site will highlight jewelry made by participating jewelers and offer the opportunity to learn more about the AURELSA mining community through a series of pictures, videos and blogs.
From Mine to Market To Home
The Ethical Metalsmiths’ Sourcing Consortium initiative will not only be completely transparent, traceable, and inclusive, it will complete the cycle of relationship from mine to market to home. Consumers will be able to trace the path of the gold in their own ring, bracelet or pendant, following it from the very location and date it was mined, through the supply chain, and into their own hands. This is empowering consumers to make a true difference in the world and support miners in being responsible stewards of their community, their region, and their environment.
