Sweatshop Free

Beauty That’s More Than Skin Deep

Sometimes we can get so caught up in the beauty of an object that we forget to consider how that object was brought to us. Diamonds are the most obvious example. Although in recent years both De Beers and Rio Tinto have developed codes intended to stop the use of child labor in the production of diamonds, abundant evidence exists that children are still used in both diamond mining and diamond processing.

A recent progressive campaign urged consumers to “vote with their wallets“–not to buy from companies that contribute financially to causes that go against the consumers’ own moral values. The same should be true of buying products that are created under conditions we find untenable.

But that can be hard.

After all, though there is much uproar about how retail outlets like Wal-Mart treat their suppliers and employees, what do we know about the conditions of the people who actually manufacture our goods?

This page was created to help people who want to buy or make beautiful objects without worrying about human rights abuses. The first section lists a few sources for jewelry makers, the second lists a few places you can buy finished goods from “socially responsible” companies. They won’t be jewelry, because if you’re buying jewelry I highly recommend you go with artisan jewelry from gateway sites like Etsy or Ruby Lane, where artists show their own work, or from individual artisan sites, like mine!

SUPPLIES FOR JEWELRY MAKERS

General Information About Glass Beads

Most glass bead suppliers sell more than one kind of beads.

Do not buy glass beads from either India or China. Indian and Chinese beads are very inexpensive, but there’s a reason for that–they are produced in sweatshops. Additionally, as a practical (not ethical) matter, lampwork beads from India and China are not properly annealed and over time they are apt to crack.

Do buy beads manufactured in the U.S., the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy and Japan. All of these countries protect their workers.

There are numerous suppliers of glass beads out there, both wholesale and retail, but most of them sell glass along with a whole bunch of other things. I am not going to recommend any of them in particular here, just let you know which countries to buy from. If a supplier doesn’t tell you where the glass is from, don’t buy from them. Just move right along and find one where you can see that the beads you are buying are from countries you want to support!

There are a number of wonderful glass artists in the U.S. Many lampworkers work from their home studios and do extraordinary work. There is also a type of glass called, at various times, Art Glass, Cane Glass, Furnace Glass or California Glass. Until recently, all furnace glass was produced in the US. Now, however, you can find much cheaper Chinese furnace glass, but it’s not properly annealed and the colors are not nearly as crisp and bright. Be sure to buy furnace glass made in the US.

General Information About Silver Beads

The first thing to know about silver is the definition of “sterling”. Sterling silver is 92.5% pure. In the US, regulations require that it be alloyed with 7.5% copper. However, that’s not the case everywhere and in some countries you will find the silver cut with nickel, which is highly allergenic. (See the Metal Definitions page for details.)

The most popular decorative style of beads comes from Bali, but the distinctive Bali style is much-imitated, particularly by Indian factories. Do not buy Indian silver! (Are you sensing a trend here? It pretty much doesn’t matter what kind of bead you’re looking for; if you can find it made in India it will be cheaper but you won’t want it.) Be sure your beads are “Genuine Bali Silver,” not “Bali Style” or “Indonesian.” (Bali is part of Indonesia, but all Indonesian silver is not from Bali.)

Another style coming into popularity now is Thai silver. If you’re going to buy Thai silver, be sure you’re getting Karen Hill Tribe silver, since factory production of silver in Thailand is not well-regulated.

Here are a few suppliers I like. This list is by no means comprehensive. It is only a sample.

• Ands SilverAt the bottom right of their homepage, you will see a link to Ands’ various charitable works.
• IndoExpoIndoExpo is run by Matt Cole, an American living in Bali. He is my primary supplier of Bali beads and has a step-by-step description of how Bali beads are made that cannot be beat.
• Nina DesignsFrom the Nina Designs website: “Nina Designs is committed to paying a living wage.
  This commitment is reflected in the high quality of work that our silversmiths deliver in return.”
• RishashayRishashay has some of the most beautiful beads you will see anywhere, and
  a bigger selection of vermeil than most Bali suppliers. They are also
  members of the Fair Trade
  Federation.

General Information About Gemstone Beads

Gemstone beads are mined in many parts of the world, but the vast majority are cut either in India or in China / Hong Kong. Generally speaking, Indian-cut beads are of lower quality. The holes will be sharper, the facets will be less even, the sizes will not match as well. This leads me to believe that the labor force is less skilled and probably less well-treated, but I don’t know that for a fact. The suppliers you see listed here are those who know how their cutters work or who cut themselves. I would love to be able to add to this list, so please do let me know if you have any information to add!

These suppliers are the only ones I know at the moment–when I need something they don’t have, I try to keep track of where it comes from and make sure it doesn’t come from a source affiliated in any way with Ko Ngar Gems Ltd. in Hong Kong. That’s not to say that all Hong Kong beads are bad; many lovely stones are cut in Hong Kong in a totally ethical fashion. But you have to be very careful about what you’re buying. See this enlightening site for information. (This is also why I never, ever buy from Fire Mountain Gems. Normally, I won’t slam a supplier, letting people decide from themselves, but as you can see from this LA Times article, it seems as if FMG is being deliberately obtuse in order to take advantage of a fatally cheap products.)

• MatchPairGorgeous, very high end stones. From their website:

  We mine the Oregon Sunstone at our mine and others. We also mine the natural black agate and the Mojave Jasper. The Mojave and African Blue Chalcedony and black drusy are purchased directly from the miners. We disclose all treatments and enhancements that we are aware of!
  To date of writing, this site has none.

• Rings & Things Russ Nobbs of Rings & Things visits the cutters who supply his stones. He has said that he cannot know how they treat the workers when he’s not there, but that at least when he was there it seemed the conditions were favorable. Russ is also a great supplier of glass beads, so if you need some glass to go with your gemstones, head right on over!

Sometimes, you don’t have time to make that special present. So where do you go to buy it? Well, you could start with the Fair Trade Federation’s Online Shop List. Some places I like to shop:

• Maine ToysClassic American wooden toys made in Maine primarily of Maine’s native whitepine.
• Planet DogWith everything you could want for your dog, Planet Dog is a charitable as well as commercial organization. From their website:

  Planet Dog Philanthropy is dedicated to supporting unique and effective programs taking compassionate action to preserve and restore the natural environment,
  cultivate animal welfare and foster quality education.

  Naturally, there’s also Planet Cat.

• Sandy Vohr’s Leather ZooSandy makes all these fabulous leather creatures herself. I met her at a craft
  fair several years ago and she told me “I’ll be making them until my hands
  give out from stitching the leather”. Very unusual, these critters make great
  presents for young and old.