Muzo Emeralds
Muzo is a vibrant town located in Boyaca, Colombia. Muzo is known for its beautiful emeralds, and its economy thrives from this industry. Back in the day, the Aztec and Inca...
Art and design is our medium to manifest better practices in various industries, and this project is about being part of long-lasting change. When an industry will not disappear, it is our responsibility to make it better.
Gold extraction, unlike fashion, is an industry that is not widely spoken about, but it's an industry that is poorly regulated and detrimental to our environment. Because gold is a form of currency, and because it is not only used by jewelers, the reality is that mining will not disappear, and new gold will always be extracted despite our efforts to not use "new" gold. Our aim with this project is to shine light into practices that are creating long-lasting change for future generations.
Communities around Gold Mining
Mining supports communities with limited economic opportunities, and it's important to keep in mind that the word "sustainability" encompasses social impact as well. With the collective motivation to be sustainable, we must not forget about the communities that sustain on the so-called "unsustainable industries", and instead we need to support initiatives that are improving these industries, so they are able to turn things around and produce sustainably.
By becoming a Fairmined certified brand, we are supporting better practices that are fostering growth, safety, better wages, improved lifestyles, and we are supporting training programs that empower these mines to be empathetic towards the environment.
Traceability
When we began to envision jewelry, traceability was non-negotiable for us. Coming from the clothing industry, we knew the right path was to take, and having found Fairmined was the sign we needed, to know we were on the right path.
Fairmined gold is the standard that does all the legwork, so we know where our gold is coming from. Fairmined works with small scale mines in Colombia and Peru, and with your purchase you offer miners a fair price for their hard work and an additional premium to transform mining into a force of good. You can read more about the impact that Fairmined has had on the gold mining industry here.
All of our gold pieces will come accompanied by a certificate that ensures your gold is Fairmined certified.
Fairmined Impact
Fairmined is a standard that certifies mines to become socially and environmentally responsible. Becoming Fairmined certified is not an overnight process, it's rather a rigorous process that gets audited every year because...
Eco Gold Process
Eco gold is gold that has been extracted without the use of mercury or cyanide, two harmful chemicals that carry both environmental and health risks for populations around mining communities. Artisanal, informal,...
Portraits
The portraits below were taken during my trips to visit Fairmined gold mines in Peru and emerald mines in Colombia. This will be an ongoing series and I will be adding...
Behind Sustainable Mining
In May 2022, I, along with a group of 12 jewelers from around the world, went on a trip organized by Fairmined to visit 3 certified alluvial mines in Peru. The purpose...