Ethically Buying & Wearing Jewelry
Photo by Nataliya Melnychuk on Unsplash
We all love jewelry . Jewelry can be the perfect accompaniment to pretty much any look, and can complete your outfits very easily. But, you might be concerned about some of the ethical issues that can often pop up in this industry. That is something that is really worth thinking about here.
If you want to make sure you are buying ethically and wearing ethically too, then there are a few things that you might want to think about. Let’s take a look at a few key things to think about while you shop and look around.
Keep reading below…
Keep It Local
As with a lot of items , you can ensure that you are buying more ethically if you simply make a point of keeping it as local as possible. Depending on where you are in the world, that may limit your options, but in any case it is something that you might want to think about if you are keen to really find some truly ethical jewelry.
This is a seemingly simple way to be a little more ethical with your jewelry choice - but how can you actually make sure that you are keeping things as local as possible? One way, is to check up on the history and background of the company. The more you know about it, the more you can figure out about where it is truly based.
Check The Supply Chain
It’s about much more than just the company itself, however. You also need to think about who they are partners with, and whether those companies are ones that you are happy to support. If you do this, it’s something that will take a little research, but it’s absolutely worth the effort if you are really serious about buying jewelry that is as ethical as possible. Take a look at who they work with, who provides their jewelry, materials, gems and so on.
Often you will uncover all sorts of connections that you are not happy with, and this can quickly make your goal a lot more difficult. It’s up to you how far to go with this, but if you truly want to buy ethically you should certainly at least try to uncover these partnerships and see what they are like. This will definitely help with in your research.
Find Ethically-Sourced Gems
It’s the gems that often worry people. You might have heard of blood diamonds, and these are pieces that you most likely want to avoid. The truth is that it is easier than ever to get diamonds which are of good quality, reliably and responsibly sourced. Whether you are buying a diamond engagement ring, diamond bracelets or whatever else… again, it comes down to doing your research on the company that you are supporting.
When you're ready to make a purchase, you can start with a 1 carat ring. This size is popular for engagement rings and provides a good balance between size and affordability. Make sure to check for certifications from reputable organizations. Additionally, look for jewelers who are committed to ethical practices, such as fair labor conditions and environmentally sustainable mining.
Look For Fairtrade
This is not always necessary, but it’s a nice little extra thing that you can do which is going to help things along ethically. If you can find Fairtrade jewelry, that is an indication that everyone involved in the process of making that item has been paid fairly - whether they are the one who mined the gem, the one who cut it, the one who put it together, and so on. This is a sign that the item you are buying is ethical along its entire chain, which is a great thing to know and support.
In a world where the fashion industry thrives on trends and instant gratification, there is a growing awareness of the importance of buying jewelry ethically and responsibly. True beauty should never come at the expense of human rights or the environment.