Let’s face it: treating ourselves to new jewels from time to time is a pamper that really lifts us up in particular times of our life, and helps us shine again.
If it is true that the worlds of luxury and jewelry have always been inextricably tied, it is just as true that nowadays, before wearing any new jewel, customers do not just wonder about the product quality or the designer’s fame any longer, but they focus on different aspects: “Were the gems I am wearing extracted in an ethical way?”, “Did the workers who made this jewel see their human rights respected?”.
Starting from these observations, in the past few years, many jewelry brands have embraced an ethical, sustainable production model, and thus created new standards that cannot be overlooked anymore.
The first brand worth mentioning is Maraismara, responsible for the introduction of fair-trade gold in Italy.
Mara Bragaglia, the brand’s founder, has been crafting her jewels sustainably since 2006, and in 2011 she also launched Oro Fairtrade, the first method of independent ethical certification in the world. Her goal? Tracking every gem in every piece and ensuring the respect of all miners’ human rights.
Another outstanding brand that has staked everything on ethics is IVI, named after its founder Ivi Kyratzi, from California, who chose to make her jewels in Tuscany. Her primary focus is also on ensuring that all materials used for her creations come from ethical, sustainable sources.
After opening the first ethical mine in the world in South America, in 2018 Daniela Colaiacovo founded her sustainable luxury jewelry brand, Makal.
In her creations, everything is about sustainability and respect, from the zero-impact production to the ethical management of the gem extraction and the business model: the local miners are real partners of the brand.
