Green Diva Jewelry

Some of our most intricate silver components are hand smithed from families in the northern northern foothills of Thailand, where silversmithing is an ancient art passed on from one generation to the next. The people take great pride in their craft.

The artisans we work with are part of a Fair Trade certified organization that ensures they are paid fair living wages and provided safety equipment and raw silver in advance. Since the 1970s, this art form has provided the locals with an alternative to drug farming and child prostitution as source of primary income.

We LOVE the brass and silver chain we source from this artisan group out of Bali, Indonesia. Each chain is hand-crafted with highest skill by these amazing metal smiths. The workshop is Fair Trade Certified, giving workers wonderful opportunities to provide for their families, master their craft and advance in their career.

The brass metals and findings are 100% recycled, so we use them liberally. The workshop hasn't yet transitioned to recycled silver and gold, but we are currently working with their coordinator to encourage the move to recycled metals as soon as possible. We're committed to help others in the industry become more eco-conscious, so we'll keep you posted on our progress!

From slicing and dying to polishing, etching and drilling, a lot goes into transforming a single sustainable nut into a gorgeous piece of tagua nut jewelry. It is a meticulous process that takes skill and precision to do right, but our artisan friends in South American make it look easy. In the end, you and I get to enjoy the fruits of their labor with fashionable pendants and beads that awaken our wardrobes. The amazing thing is that it is all done by hand, by real people. No machines, no computers...just mad skills.

We know what it takes to do what they do and that's why we believe in compensating them accordingly. Unlike today's typical "outsourcing" model, we don't believe that cutting wages is the way to build a sustainable business. The artisans we purchase from are paid twice or more the average rate and are provided tools, training and safety equipment. In addition, we contribute to a pool of funds that invest into paying for medical procedures and providing schooling for the artisan's children.

Some of our hottest fashion designs feature gorgeous paper beads made with recycled magazines from discards and overstock. We love these little baubles, as they add a whole new dimension and character to our eco jewelry line.

But we can't take the credit for them. These beautiful components are hand-crafted by dozens of refugee women in Uganda that belong to a Fair Trade co-op we support. These are women who have been displaced and are able to provide for their children through the income they receive when we purchase their beads to make our recycled paper jewelry.

It's amazing what these talented African women can do. We are so honored to help them achieve financial stability so that they do not need to be without food, medicine or education for their children.