MANUFACTURING and PROCESSES

Strategic Partnerships with Transparency: 

Strategic Partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals: 

Turquoise Mountain NGO:

We work with respected charities, including Turquoise Mountain NGO, founded by HM King Charles III, with a six year partnership;  to revive historic areas and traditional crafts, to provide jobs, skills and a renewed sense of pride. In blending heritage buildings, education and enterprise, Turquoise Mountain has created sustainable urban regeneration that hosts the revival of artisan industries. Turquoise Mountain now works in Afghanistan, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia and Jordan and has been awarded by the United Nations for Sustainability.

Responsible Jewelry Council: 

We work with artisan facilities certified by the Responsible Jewelry Council, in India, through which we prioritize ethical treatment of artisans and workers, and aim to eliminate waste and negative environmental impact wherever possible throughout the hand production of each piece of jewelry.  The practice of Strategic Partnerships for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG2030) is supported by the Responsible Jewelry Council, you can learn more HERE.  

Fashion Makes Change: 

Through the Accessories Council, we have worked with and donated to Fashion Makes Change, a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, is an industry-wide initiative to deliver women’s empowerment and climate action in tandem. FMC works in partnership across the apparel industry to build resilient communities by accelerating a global educational agenda of women’s empowerment and gender equity in supply chain communities.

 

Fair Trade Practices: 

Designer Facility Audits: 

In addition to working directly with facilities that are certified through the strict audits of the Responsible Jewelry Council, we conduct in-person visits to artisan facilities to ensure that the people making our jewelry are paid fairly, working in safe conditions, and are treated respectfully and the environmental processes are considered. By way of introduction through the GJEPC: Gem and Jewelry Export Promotion Council of the Government of India,  we have developed close working relationships with the facilities in the supply chain and communicate with them on a  weekly, sometimes daily, basis.  Artisans are paid a living wage and, in many cases, have health insurance for their entire families. 

The Responsible Jewelry Council Code of Practices outlines details HERE. 

The Human Rights details are cited HERE. 

Staff Treatment and Best Practices: 

Katherine is a Fulbright Specialist Prorgram-recognized solo entrepreneur, working with strictly vetted artisan facilities and non profits overseas in India, Afghanistan, and Jordan. At our home office in Florida, we  use interns who are paid fairly (over minimum wage), and enabled to work from home remotely to reduce the carbon footprint as much as we possible.

Eco-Friendly Practices:  

Eliminating Waste: 

At each stage of the supply chain, we aim to eliminate waste wherever possible. Through practices strictly audited by the Responsible Jewelry Council we aim reduce hazardous chemicals in the environment. We are constantly striving to improve the elimination of waste as well as mobilize best practices with hazardous chemicals that harm the environment.

Recycled Materials: 

We work with artisan facilities certified by the Responsible Jewelry Council, use recycled metals to create our castings and gemstones are cut and polished by hand in order to eliminate waste. Polishing, setting, and finishing of each metal jewelry piece is done by hand with a cloth which eliminates the usage of many hazardous chemicals in machine processes often used by larger brands.

Packaging: 

Our packaging is recyclable and reusable, we mobilize acid free tissue paper considering the environment in every step we can, even in the post consumer waste phase of use. On occasions we have hired underserved, at risk women in Harlem to sew jewelry storage and gift bags with up cycled silk, through Custom Collaborative, a charity providing education and job skills to BIPOC and immigrant women, where Katherine serves as an advisor to the organization.

Technology not Paper:

We do our best to use technology, eliminating usage of paper, therefore waste, whenever possible.  At our home office in Florida, we  use interns who are enabled to work from home remotely to reduce the carbon footprint as much as we possible.

Small Batch Production

We produce in small batches for many reasons: in addition to the bottom line of running a business: expenses and excess, we aim to reduce wasteful surplus of leftover inventory and most excess is repurposed into future collections, by design and by concrete materials, such as gemstones.

Philanthropy

We are honored to donate some items of excess inventory to reputable charities for auction and resell in the education and economic empowerment spaces, as well as some profits, to similarly-mined and respected charities, including Fashion for Change, A Path to College, The Headstrong Project, Accessories Council, Education for Employment, and Custom Collaborative and others. We have donated to education scholarships for girls in underserved communities and international conflict zones including Afghanistan.