Advocating for Sustainable & Equitable Jewelry Making
If you’ve clicked the link to this article, I’m going to guess that you’ve read a lot of my previous posts (which by the way, thank you for the views!). You’ve learned a lot of chemistry, gotten some beauty and jewelry styling tips, and have probably gotten angry about some of the information I’ve shared. I got angry at some of that information too. Like can you believe I almost got poisoned as a child? I still laugh at that in disbelief.
PS: If you haven’t, go ahead and get your mind blown!
Whether the article you’ve read is about toxic metals, jewelry cases, gold mining, or which precious metal you should choose (hint: it’s silver), each of my pieces have one thing in common. That is just about all of them end in a call to action to get jewelry makers to use more sustainable and worker-friendly manufacturing processes. You might look at them and feel ready to fight the next Claire’s store that you come across. Or you are struggling with what you personally can do about it. Because these manufacturing practices are widespread and ending them is a huge issue. And how am I supposed to end them, right? Well, here are some simple tips to help you get started in your advocacy.
Probably the most easiest tactic is to only buy products from jewelry makers who use sustainable manufacturing practices. This is a great way for people who do not have lots of free time but want to make a difference to be a part of the change. Put your money where your mouth is!
If you want to see the major jeweler manufacturers change their practices, write a letter to them about it! Collect multiple signatures and circulate it on social media to make more people aware of it. This is also great for folks who do not have time to start an activism career because it can take you less than 30 minutes to write the letter and post it!
Volunteering with fashion and jewelry-specific non-profits like clothing drive organizations and places that provide second-hand clothing and jewelry to folks in need for things like job interviews is a great way to help the cause. The better these organizations function, the more people will turn to shopping second-hand and turn away from buying new products.
Furthermore, calling your local lawmakers and asking them to take action like sponsoring new legal regulations around jewelry making, banning imports from countries known to use toxic metals in jewelry making, and signing any possible bills surrounding regulating the fashion industry or human-trafficking is an even better next step. You’re not just working from your armchair anymore, you’re going to one of the most effective routes to create change.
Finally, initiating a referendum or plebiscite related to anything that would make jewelry-making more sustainable is great for folks who want to get involved in organizing. Figure out how to make a petition, how many signatures you need to get it on a ballot, how the election rules work where you live (it’s different in every city, state/province, or country), and what the most effective ways to get it onto a ballot and enacted into law are. This is the best way to make change and do it yourself because you don’t have to wait on other people to care to take action.