Distance Travelled - Our Industry in Flux
It’s been seven years since Chopard debuted their sustainable gold collection, and three since we saw the first shipment of Fairtrade gold land in the UK. With a new decade beginning to unfold, how far has our industry travelled, and what are the big (and little) players doing to move things forward?
It’s everybody’s responsibility to take care of our planet, and there are certain groups whose ears must have been burning for the past few years. For some time, people have been asking for eco-friendly processes for collecting precious materials, and safe working practices for the people doing the collecting. Research conducted by De Beers surveyed 75,000 customers and found that 36% of millennials were least likely to compromise on responsible sourcing when shopping for wedding rings. Appetite for jewellery was unscathed by the global recession, but can it survive global warming?
Thankfully, the industry is actively listening. Since 2015, processes have evolved, priorities have shifted and attitudes have changed.
The Swarovski Group represent a prime example of an industry leader making an effort and thriving as a result. Last year’s sustainability report revealed that 35% of their energy (used in manufacturing and water production) now comes from renewable sources. 76% of their water demand is met through recycled sources. They use a mixture of Fairtrade and recycled gold, and their Conscious Design Program has provided designers with over 6,000,000 upcycled crystals since its inception five years ago.
Fairtrade and upcycled gold is one of the biggest developments we’ve seen in the industry over the last few years - which is good, because the old ways are particularly ugly. A single 0.333-ounce ‘dirty gold’ ring can generate 20 tons of toxic waste, which is often dumped in rivers and oceans. Over the course of a year, this adds up to approximately 180 million tons of toxic waste from mines, including arsenic, lead and cyanide. So on an environmental level, gold mining can be disastrous. It’s bad on a human level too, thanks to the threat of mine collapse, and the unsafe (but widespread) practice of using mercury to separate gold from ore. The process of creating a gold-mercury amalgam is often done by hand, and sometimes by children - but mercury attacks the nervous system, resulting in life-long disability and, sometimes, death.
Thankfully, there are other ways - and over the last decade we’ve seen them adopted by a lot of boutique brands, and some of the heavy-hitters, too. Human Rights Watch examined 13 of the world’s major jewellery brands, looking at responsible sourcing and links to human rights abuses. Whilst none of the big brands received an excellent rating, Tiffany was ranked highest for their high standards with regards to ethical, eco-friendly and recycled gold:
Ethical Gold is sourced from artisanal and small-scale mining communities, and was defined by Chopard as ‘gold acquired from responsible sources, verified as having met international best practice environmental and social standards.’ That means transparent supply chains, fair pay, and no child labour.Eco-Friendly Gold is mined responsibly, to ensure minimum impact on the environment. Toxic chemicals aren’t allowed (looking at you, mercury) and programmes are established to ‘restore the native ecosystem’ once the mine has been established.
Recycled Gold is pretty self-explanatory - rather than digging for more gold, jewellery companies are simply using old jewellery, scrap metal, or industrial by-products instead. Gold can be repeatedly recycled without losing quality, so the only difference between recycled and newly-mined gold is the latter’s propensity for destroying landscapes.
It’s not just the process for farming gold that’s had a refresh over the last few years. The development of lab grown diamonds has revolutionised the industry, more so now it’s nearly impossible to tell the difference between a diamond pulled from a mine (which can cause soil erosion and deforestation on an environmental level, and forced labour, violence or even murder on a human scale) and one grown in a laboratory. Look to Courbet for lab grown diamonds and 100% recyclable gold, or draw inspiration from the Duchess of Sussex and champion Kimai’s statement jewellery created entirely with lab-grown diamonds.
Still, if you’re desperate for the real thing, companies like Moyo Gemstones offer access to gemstones sourced responsibly by female miners who are given the opportunity to work safely and establish financial stability.
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