Fair Trade Gems From Artisan Wedding Rings
Overview of the Issues
In an ideal world, a fair trade gem would come from a third party certified, cooperative mining community. Beneficiation, including polishing and community development, would be based in and benefit local economies. This situation simply does not exist. Instead, we source our gems from companies that fall into three different models for the emerging for fair trade market: Co-operatives, Companies, and Collaborators.
Co-operatives
Co-ops or associations of small scale miners (ASM), ideally would be selling fair trade finished gems, similar to the Oro Verde project which sells fair trade gold from Colombia. One example of an organized group which is working on this is the Tanzania Women Miners Association (TAWOMA).
Companies
These are companies developing a fair trade process by owning the mine itself. Columbia Gems has pioneered this process at a ruby deposit in Malawi with their cutting tightly supervised in China. A second example of this type of company is Ruby Fair, which sources out of a remote village in Tanzania.
Collaborators
These are individuals who contact the artisanal miners directly and develop relationships that benefit their people and villages based upon a fair trade ethos. They personally finance exploration and shepherd the rough to cut through a factory which they know is ethical.
To learn more about the general fair trade gem issues, read this article which will give you a broader overview.
Our Fair Trade Gems and Sources
Below is a list of our fair trade and ethically sourced gems. Visiting these pages will give you a greater insight into the conditions on how some of the gems that we sell on artisan wedding rings are sourced.
Sri Lankan Sapphires
Zambian Aquamarines
Tanzanian Rubies
Nyala Rubies
Malawi Sapphires
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