Abstract
Gems & Gemology, Spring 2013, Vol. 49, No. 1
Trade Fair & Play Fair, Says Gem Trade
Israel Diamonds, No. 242, 2012, pp. 51–53
Consumer confidence and globalization have led to increasing public awareness of how goods are manufactured and where they are sourced. The article discusses how the colored gemstone industry is taking steps to create conditions that are fair and decent for miners and others involved in the industry, just as the global diamond industry has done through the Diamond Development Initiative and the Kimberley Process. The Fair Trade Gems project was launched by the Columbia Gem House, the first jewelry industry company to join the Fair Trade movement. The Quality Assurance and Fair Trade Gems Protocols created by this project were designed to increase the standard of living for the miners and gem cutters and also promote environmental protection, fair labor practices, and health and safety standards. Protecting the quality and integrity of the product is an important feature of the Fair Trade Gems program, which extends protections to consumers, who deserve to know exactly what they are buying.
Abstracted by Michele Kelley
