Open letter to Alliance for Responsible Mining and Fairtrade Labeling Organisation. Signed by 140 International jewellers.
Below is the open letter sent to Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM) and Fairtrade Labeling Organisation (FLO) regarding the possibility of ‘mass balancing’ (mixing) or dilution of Fairtrade Gold in the product composition section of the fairtrade Standard tat is currently under review. This letter represents the views of Fairtrade and Fairmined license holders, RJC members and jewellers from over seven countries who want to see a fairtrade Gold product that is both traceable from source and socially empowering for small-scale mining communities. It is a clear message to ARM and FLO that we do not want to see mass-balancing or dilution labeled as Fairtrade.
Fair Jewellery Action and Ethical Metalsmiths wants to thank ARM and FLO for listening to the views of our supporters and also to our network of supporters for taking the time to care about this. Its an important issue. Letter, signatures and comments are below. To date we have 140 signatures.
You can review the proposal on pages 86 to 88 via this link.
An Open Letter to The Alliance For Responsible Mining and Fairtrade Labeling Organisation
Dear Alliance For Responsible Mining and Fairtrade Labeling Organisation,
As jewelers and other members of civil society, we strongly oppose one aspect of the current proposed standards, which changes the product composition component to allow mass balancing or dilution to take place. These proposed changes to the standard are described in Section 6, put forth July 2012, in the Fairtrade and Fairmined Standard for Artisanal and Small Scale Mining Document.
The proposed standard to mix Fairtrade and Fairmined gold with other gold will severely damage the FT&FM gold brand and create confusion in the marketplace. It will also undermine the confidence in the product.
We are also concerned with how the mass balancing might negatively impact the FT&FM brand as it develops not only with gold, but with other mined products emerging into the market. As jewelers, who deal with customers every day of the week, we understand the market better than anyone else. At this juncture, we urge in the strongest possible terms that Fairtrade gold be kept pure.
We urge ARM and FLO to direct more efforts toward supporting jewelers and strengthening a consumer campaign to build on the great success in the existing market. The certified FT&FM Sotrami miners in Peru received £75,000 ($120,00 USD) of premium from gold purchases by jewelers in 2011 alone. Our greatest continued success will only be achieved if we all work united, in a concerted effort to support FT&FM small scale miners to bring pure, traceable Fairtrade and Fairmined gold to a vibrant market.
1 Name: Harriet Kelsall
Company: Harriet Kelsall Jewellery Design Ltd.
Country: United Kingdom
2 Name: Alice Rochester
Company: Harriet Kelsall Jewellery Design
Country: United Kingdom
3 Name: Alan Frampton
Company: Cred Jewellery
Country: United Kingdom
4 Name: Victoria Woollen-Danner
Company: VWD Jewelry
Country: United States
5 Name: Ian Doyle
Company: Associate, Lifeworth Consulting (artisanal mining expert)
Country: France, DRC
6 Name: Susan Crow
Company: Susan Crow inc./DBA East Fourth Street Jewelry
Country: United States
7 Name: Elaine Nazzaro
Company: Artisan Industries Inc.
Country: United States
8 Name Gary Roberts
Company: Rubyfair.com Ltd
Country: United Kingdom and Tanzania
9 Name: Gina D’Onofrio
Company: Jewelry Appraisal Services
Country: United States
10 Name: Jeffrey Herman, Founder & Executive Director
Company / Org: Society of American Silversmiths
Country: United States
11 Name: Nanna Gronborg
Company: Nanna Gronborg
Country: Germany
12 Name: Karen Feder
Company: Moonlight Beadery
Country: United States
13 Name: Andrea Bonelli
Company: Andrea Bonelli Jewelry
Country: United States
14 Name: Tracy Munn
Company: Animated Metals
Country: United States
15 Name: Anna Moltke-Huitfeldt
Company: Anna Moltke-Huitfeldt
Country: Denmark
16 Name: Robin Halpin
Company: Rx Rox Jewelry
Country: United States
I strongly support 100% fair trade / fair mined gold. Transparency is needed to allow customers to choose sourced gold they can wear with integrity and pride instead of wondering about the mines used to create the gold. It is time the small artisanal mines with safe practices become viable alternatives to open pit mining.
17 Name: Kate Bauman Mess
Company: Kate Mess Jewelry
Country: United States
18 Name: Josh Humbert
Company: Kamoka Pearl
Country: United States
19 Name: Andrea Antonucci
Company: Andrea Antonucci – Adelstenar
Country: Sweden
20 Name: Christine Lawrence
Company: Caratess
Country: United Kingdom
21 Name: Kari Rinn
Company / Organization: Haywood Community College
Country: United States
22 Name: Jan Webber
Company: Jan Webber Contemporary Jewelry
Country: United States
23 Name: Bobi Wilson
Company: Star Rabbit Productions
Country: United States
24 Name: Ana M. Lopez
Company: Independent Jewelry Artist
Country: United States
25 Name: Tim McCreight
Company: Brynmorgen Press (publisher of how-to- jewelry books)
Country: United States
26 Name: Anna Bario
Company: Bario-Neal
Country: United States
27 Name: Magdalena Goudie
Company: Private Citizen
Country: United States
28 Name: Helen Chantler
Company: Reflective Images Inc.
Country: United States
29 Name: Amanda M. Thon
Company: Independent Jeweler
Country: United States
30 Name: Jörg Eggimann
Company: Jorg Eggimann Goldschmiedmeister
Country: Switzerland
31 Name: Erin S. Daily
Company: Brooklyn Metal Works
Country: United States
32 Name: Bryan Park
Company/ Org: Benedictine College
Country: United States
33 Name: Martha WD Bushnell, Ph.D.
Company: Private Citizen
Country: United States
34 Name: Renee Zettle-Sterling – Associate Professor of Art and Design
Company / Org: Grand Valley State University
Country: United States
35 Name: Michèle Ratté
Company: Michèle Ratté Textiles
Country: United States
36 Name: Kirsten Bak
Company: BAKS
Country: Denmark
37 Name: David Crump
Company: Vipa Designs Ltd
Country: United Kingdom
38 Name: April Doubleday
Company: April Doubleday
Country: United Kingdom
39 Name: Marilene Morency
Company: Joailliere/Silversmith
Country: Canada
40 Name: Todd Pownell
Company: TAP studio INC.
Country: United States
41 Name: Jennifer Trask
Company: Jennifer Trask Jewelry
Country: United States
42 Name: Dianne McFarlane
Company: Schmuck Akademie
Country: Germany
43 Name: Jean Mandeberg
Company: Jean Mandeberg, Metalsmith
Country: United States
44 Name: Lynn White
Company: Lynn White Jewelry
Country: United States
45 Name: Elizabeth H. Porter
Company: Hand Crafted by Betsy Porter
Country: United States
46 Name: Demos Takoulas
Company: Vukani-Ubuntu Community Development Projects
Country: South Africa
47 Name:Thomas Becker
Company:Thomas Becker–Atelier Fuer Schmuck
Country: Germany
48 Name: Ursula Bettmer
Company: bettmer-gold
Country: Germany
49 Name: Judith Lotter
Company: Schmuck-Atelier
Country: Germany
50 Name: Agnes Lauer
Company: Kristall-Die Magie des Schoenen
Country: Germany
51 Name: Dagmar Fleck
Company: Laurins Garten
Country: Germany
52 Name: Herbert Scholpp
Company: Independent Jeweler
Country: Germany
53 Name: Martina Eiselein
Company: Eiselein – Design
Country: Germany
54 Name: Carlo Verda
Company: Alex May studio
Country: United Kingdom
55 Name: Rahel Dotzel
Company: Dotzel Unilatschmuck
Country: Germany
56 Name: Jennifer Gilbert
Company: Jenny GIlbert Jewellery
Country: United Kingdom
57 Name: Kathrin Zara Stein
Company: Independent Jeweler
Country: Switzerland
58 Name: Sass Brown
Company: Eco Fashion
Country: United Kingdom
59 Name: Max Gilgenmann
Company: Consultant
Country: Germany
60 Name: Birgitte Rasmussen
Company: Svinninge Motionscenter
Country: Denmark
61 Name: Allan Scharff
Company: Allan Scharff
Country: Denmark
62 Name: Amanda Li Hope
Company: Amanda Li Hope
Country: United Kingdom
63 Name: M’lou Brubaker
Company: M’lou Brubaker, Jeweler
Country: United States
64 Name: Niels Bjørn-Andersen
Company: Copenhagen Business School
Country: Denmark
65 Name: Camilla Frank
Company: CF 1701 (Private Citizen)
Country: Denmark
66 Name: Jane Kearns
Company: The Crystal’d Lily
Country: United Kingdom
67 Name: Stephanie Petro
Company: Hearts.com
Country: United States
68 Name: Linda Darty
Company / Organization: East Carolina University
Country: United States
69 Name: Helle Ørskov
Company: Missing Ink
Country: Denmark
70 Name: Ulrich Neuhaus
Company: schmuck und skulptur
Country: Germany
71 Name: Birgitte de Neergaard
Company: deNeergaardTheillEriksen
Country: Denmark
72 Name: Nadine Kieft
Company: Nadine Kieft Edelsmeden
Country: Netherlands
73 Name: Tanya Bowd
Company: Candescent
Company: United Kingdom
74 Name: Beth Gerstein
Company: Brilliant Earth
Country: United States
75 Name: Brandon Cata
Company: Independent Jeweler
Country: United States
76 Name: Cheryl Arviso
Company: Independent Jeweler
Country: United States
77 Name: Lori Hesuse
Company: Independent Jeweler
Country: United States
78 Name: Elyse Demaray
Company: Demaray Designs Jewelry
Country: United States
Please do not jeopardize the integrity of FT & FM gold by mixing it with other gold. This is very important to our trade and our own ability to maintain the quality of gold we want to offer our customers.
79 Name: Noel Aronov
Company: Independent Jeweler
Country: United States
Let’s have accountability.
80 Name: Anthony Romero
Company: Private Citizen
Country: United States
81 Name: Anastasia Azure
Company: Azure Designs
Country: United States
82 Name: Fritz Casuse
Company: Independent Jeweler
Country: United States
83 Name: Carol Windsor
Company: Carol Windsor Design
Country: United States
84 Name: Susie Ganch
Company/ Organization: Virginia Commonwealth University
Country: United States
To whom it may concern,
As a jeweler, I want to know where my materials come from in order to make informed choices about the gold I use to make my work. Maintaining 100% traceability back to certified Fairtrade Fairmined sites is the ONLY way to make choices that reflect my values and those of my customers. By creating a “mass balanced” product, and gold that contains only 50% material from certified mines, or offering gold that has “at least” 10% certified fine gold content, ARM and FLO are diluting our goals to create a truly transparent chain of custody while supporting small mining communities. I am joining with others to urge ARM and FLO to reconsider the standards put forth thus far that offer a mixed product.
Sincerely,
Susie Ganch
Director Radical Jewelry Makeover
Associate Professor/Head of Metal Program
Department of Craft/Material Studies
School of the Arts
Virginia Commonwealth University
85 Name: Colleen Baran
Company: Colleen Baran Jewellery
Country: CA
86 Name: Abby Mattison
Company: A silver Girl
Country: United States
87 Name: L. Eugene Nelson
Company: L. Eugene Nelson
Country: United States
88 Name: Wendy Walsh
Company: W Walsh Design
Country: United States
89 Name: Fran Grinels
Company: Grinels Design
Country: United States
90 Name: Dan Morris
Company: Independent Jeweler
Country: United States
91 Rachelle Thiewes
Company: Rachelle Thiewes
Country: United States
92 Name: Kara Aubin
Company: kara | daniel Jewelry
Country: United States
93 Name: Daniel Juzwiak
Company: kara | daniel Jewelry
Country: United States
94 Name: Charlene Modena
Company / Organization: Academy of Art University, San Francisco
Country: United States
95 Name: Jim Bove
Company / Organization: California University of Pennsylvania
Country: United States
96 Name: Naomi Maslon
Company: Naomi Maslon Jewelry
Country: United States
97 Name: Catherine Sutherland
Company: Catherine Sutherland Art And Design
Country: CA
98 Name: Rick & Beth Elkin
Company: Elkin Studio Jewelers
Country: United States
99 Name: Kathleen Browne
Company: Kent State University – Educator and independent artist
Country: United States
100 Name: Shamsa Diwani
Company / Organization: Tanzania Women Miners Association and Gemstyles Company
Country: Tanzania
101: Name: Hattie Rickards
Company: Hattie Rickards Jewellery
Country: United Kingdom
102: Name: Sarabeth Carnat
Company: Sarabeth Carnat
Country: Canada
True accountability is the only real standard. Dilution or balancing minimizes accountability. Workers in our industry have the right to the safest possible methods of extraction. Let us not “pretend” to be accountable. Smoke & mirrors are just that.
103: Name: Rebecca Crawford
Company: Spacefruit
Country: United Kingdom
104 Name: Molly Perrin
Company: Molly Perrin
Country: United Kingdom
105 Name: Peta Bush
Company: Medical Jewellery
Country: United Kingdom
106 Name: Viola Bergmann
Company: G, Bergmann Werkstatt 999/- fein GmbH
Country: Germany
107 Name: Jo Taylor
Company: Tootsievalentine® Ethical Contemporary Jewellery
Country: United Kingdom
108 Name: Jan Spille
Company: Jan Spille – Schmuck*Atleier
Country: Germany
109 Name: Caz Guiney
Company: Northcity4
Country: Australia
110 Name: Kim Cridler
Company: Bennie/Cridler Studio
Country: United States
111 Name: Jorge Arrieta
Company: Niccolo Bella, LLC
Country: United States
112 Name: Jamie Cassavoy
Company: Cassavoy & Co.
Country: United States
113 Name: Michael Pollak
Company: Hyde Park Jewelers
Country: United States
114 Name: Linnie McLarty
Company: Linnie McLarty Jewellery
Country: United Kingdom
115 Name: Claire Malet
Company: Independent Metalsmith
Country: United Kingdom
116 Name: Sheena Thomas, Melanie Parks, Marta Jones-Couch
Company: Elements, Ltd.
Country: United States
117 Name: Kris Nations
Company: Kris Nations Jewelry
Country: United States
118 Name: Jessica Magella Worthington
Company: Independent metal artist
Country: United States
119 Name: Matthew Moerman
Company: Baxter Moerman Jewelry
Country: United States
120 Name: Stefanie Knörnschild
Company: Goldschmiede Knörnschild
Country: Germany
121 Name: Molly Dingledine
Company: Molly Dingledine Jewelry
Country: United States
122 Name: Edward H Lay
Company / Org: Head Instructor, Metals Studio, Richmond Art Center
Country: United States
123 Name: Martin Taber
Company: Taber Studios
Country: United States
124 Name: Lindsay Minihan
Company: Metalwerx Inc.
Country: United States
As we are committed to the best education for metalsmithing students at our nonprofit school, we wholeheartedly support ethical practices of bringing fairtraded and fairmined gold to the market.
125 Name: Jennifer Cross Gans
Company/ Org: Independent writer, metalsmith
Country: United States
Complete accountability is particularly important for jewelers who work in gold and their publics.
126 Name: Ana Aguilar
Company: Independent Jeweler
Country: United States
127 Name: Marianne Hunter
Company: Marianne Hunter – Studio art-jeweler/ enamelist
Country: United States
128 Name: Woodrow W. Carpenter
Company: Thompson Enamel, Inc.
Country: United States
129 Name: Christine Dhein
Company: Independent Jeweler
Country: United States
130 Name: Samantha Rose
Company: September Rose Ethical Jewellery
Country: United Kingdom
131 Name: Ebke Bühring
Company: Independent Goldsmith
Country: Germany
132 Name: Jennifer Trude
Company: Trudesign Metalsmithing
Country: United States
133 Name: Eric Finley
Company: The Sovereign Corporation (non-jeweler)
Country: United States
134 Name: Rebecca Klemm
Company: Private citizen with gold jewelry
Country: United States
135 Name: Rachel Lunn
Company: Rachel Helen Designs
Country: United Kingdom
136 Name: Samantha Salmons
Company: Sam Salmons Designs Ltd
Country: United Kingdom
137 Name: Belinda Norrington
Company: Wild Acre Designs
Country: United Kingdom
138: Name: Sally Rycroft
Company: Good as Gold Ltd
Country: United Kingdom
139 Name: Tania Kowalski
Company: ORIA JEWELLERY LTD
Country: United Kingdom
140 Name: Stephen Jones
Company: Kaanaanmaa
Country: United Kingdom
