Protecting Orphaned Elephants in Africa
Our partner Anna Beck has created this charity capsule collection to help raise funds for the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s Orphan Project. 30% of all proceeds go towards supporting growth of young elephants who have lost their parents to poaching, malnourishment or natural causes. Each piece helps us honor our commitment to serving those without a voice.
In 2018, Anna Beck began to actively foster two orphan East African elephants, Malkia and Jotto, whose stories of perseverance continue to inspire the work they do.
In 2018, Anna Beck began to actively foster two orphan East African elephants, Malkia and Jotto, whose stories of perseverance continue to inspire the work they do.
Our Commitment to Responsible Resources
When Buying a Diamond, Choose Love, Not War: Conflict-Free Diamonds
The ring on your finger should speak of love. And though diamonds do represent life-long love to the giver and the receiver, many of them have a violent backstory. “Blood diamonds” did not come by their name lightly. These stones, also called “conflict diamonds,” fuel wars, encourage slavery, and lead to bloodshed.
Though you may have first heard the story of gems and war in the 2006 film “Blood Diamond,” the term was first used in the 1990s, when the world realized that diamonds were being used to fund a civil war in Angola. The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola raised $3.72 billion by selling diamonds to finance one of the bloodiest civil wars in history. The United Nation took notice, and in 1998 passed a resolution that banned the purchase of Angolan blood diamonds. Unfortunately, the practice of selling diamonds to fund wars continued, most notably in conflicts in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
According to the World Diamond Council, war-torn areas in western and central Africa especially suffer from the practice. As of 2006, conflicts in these areas had “killed or displaced millions of people in Africa, the source of an estimated 65 percent of the world’s diamonds,” according to the New York Times. The blood diamond trade fuels many types of violence and human rights abuses, including modern-day slavery, forced child labor, sexual violence, torture, and murder. And it’s not just Africans who are involved: Terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda, also use diamonds for funding and money-laundering purposes.
There is good news: In 2000, Southern African diamond-producing states met in Kimberley, South Africa, to discuss how to stop the blood diamond trade. By 2002, they had hammered out the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS). This agreement by the United Nations, European Union, the governments of 74 countries, the World Diamond Council, and a number of interest groups, requires members to certify that all rough diamond exports are produced through legitimate mining and sales activities and are “conflict-free.” Each shipment of diamonds from a KPCS member must provide a list of details arils, including how and where the diamonds were mined, and what parties were involved.
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme not only keeps the diamond industry from inadvertently assisting violent regimes, it helps consumers choose conflict-free diamonds. KPCS diamonds are sold with a written statement that declares the diamonds are from a conflict-free source. This means that everyone along the chain—the government exporting the gems, the clearinghouses purchasing them, the designers creating the jewelry, and the consumers buying the diamonds—will know that the stones are ethically sourced.
In the end, this process makes it easy for you, the purchaser, to ensure that your diamond isn’t tainted with violence. Just ask your jeweler where your diamonds came from, or tell your designer that you want a conflict-free diamond as certified by KPCS. That way, you’ll make sure your diamond speaks only of love. Just as it should.
The ring on your finger should speak of love. And though diamonds do represent life-long love to the giver and the receiver, many of them have a violent backstory. “Blood diamonds” did not come by their name lightly. These stones, also called “conflict diamonds,” fuel wars, encourage slavery, and lead to bloodshed.
Though you may have first heard the story of gems and war in the 2006 film “Blood Diamond,” the term was first used in the 1990s, when the world realized that diamonds were being used to fund a civil war in Angola. The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola raised $3.72 billion by selling diamonds to finance one of the bloodiest civil wars in history. The United Nation took notice, and in 1998 passed a resolution that banned the purchase of Angolan blood diamonds. Unfortunately, the practice of selling diamonds to fund wars continued, most notably in conflicts in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
According to the World Diamond Council, war-torn areas in western and central Africa especially suffer from the practice. As of 2006, conflicts in these areas had “killed or displaced millions of people in Africa, the source of an estimated 65 percent of the world’s diamonds,” according to the New York Times. The blood diamond trade fuels many types of violence and human rights abuses, including modern-day slavery, forced child labor, sexual violence, torture, and murder. And it’s not just Africans who are involved: Terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda, also use diamonds for funding and money-laundering purposes.
There is good news: In 2000, Southern African diamond-producing states met in Kimberley, South Africa, to discuss how to stop the blood diamond trade. By 2002, they had hammered out the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS). This agreement by the United Nations, European Union, the governments of 74 countries, the World Diamond Council, and a number of interest groups, requires members to certify that all rough diamond exports are produced through legitimate mining and sales activities and are “conflict-free.” Each shipment of diamonds from a KPCS member must provide a list of details arils, including how and where the diamonds were mined, and what parties were involved.
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme not only keeps the diamond industry from inadvertently assisting violent regimes, it helps consumers choose conflict-free diamonds. KPCS diamonds are sold with a written statement that declares the diamonds are from a conflict-free source. This means that everyone along the chain—the government exporting the gems, the clearinghouses purchasing them, the designers creating the jewelry, and the consumers buying the diamonds—will know that the stones are ethically sourced.
In the end, this process makes it easy for you, the purchaser, to ensure that your diamond isn’t tainted with violence. Just ask your jeweler where your diamonds came from, or tell your designer that you want a conflict-free diamond as certified by KPCS. That way, you’ll make sure your diamond speaks only of love. Just as it should.
Our Commitment to Artisans
We're always searching for ethical jewelry brands that dedicate themselves to thoughtful sourcing, fair wages, and give-back initiatives that truly have an impact. Whether it’s a thoughtful addition to our own wardrobe, or a sustainable gift our loved ones, jewelry is an accessory that we can (and do) cherish for a lifetime.
So, we’ve rounded up our favorite jewelry brands that pair their values with a dedication to quality and style. Each one of these brands does incredible work—whether it’s providing conflict free diamonds for a conscious approach to your proposal, sustainably ending cycles of poverty through employment, upholding traditional craft techniques, or sourcing fair-mined gold and other materials, there’s a brand here that matches your values.
So, we’ve rounded up our favorite jewelry brands that pair their values with a dedication to quality and style. Each one of these brands does incredible work—whether it’s providing conflict free diamonds for a conscious approach to your proposal, sustainably ending cycles of poverty through employment, upholding traditional craft techniques, or sourcing fair-mined gold and other materials, there’s a brand here that matches your values.
