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CG Sculpture and Jewelry strives to be a sustainable and ethical company.
I partner with suppliers who maintain high standards of sustainable sourcing and ethical practices.
The first rule of sustainability is to buy nothing. But that isn't always practical. By using materials like metal and gemstones, made and provided by the earth, I don't take this gift lightly. My goal is to always use these materials to make high quality, timeless, heirlooms - items that will be enjoyed by many generations, not impulse purchases that will be discarded next season and end up in a landfill. If we are going to use earth's resources, we should do so with restraint and respect.
The materials I use come from companies who are certified by the Responsible Jewelry Council (RJC).
The RJC is a standards-setting organization that has been established to advance responsible ethical, human rights, social and environmental practices throughout the diamond, gold and platinum group metals jewelry supply chain.
The RJC has developed a benchmark standard for the jewelry supply chain and credible mechanisms for verifying responsible business practices through third party auditing.
I use RJC and SCS Global certified recycled metal from Hoover and Strong and United PMR and source chain from Rio Grande, an RJC certified company.
I only use diamonds that are conflict-free and ethically sourced.
My first choice is always to buy upcycled diamonds - diamonds that were previously set in jewelry then removed, and re-introduced into the supply chain for resale. This eliminates the need to mine new stones from the ground.
My second source is conflict-free Canadian stones. These diamonds are mined in the Canadian North and responsibly cut and polished. Their production and sale are subject to strict standards, set out by the Canadian Code of Conduct, and the Government of the Northwest Territories, designed to protect the Arctic environment, mine workers and local employees.
I purchase these diamonds from Hoover and Strong, an industry leader in ethical diamond sourcing.
I source colored gemstones from Columbia GemHouse, an ethical, fair trade and fair mined focused company who sources and cuts gemstones responsibly putting the health of both the environment and the people who cut stones first. I've met the owner Eric, and he is very passionate about this cause so I know each stone I buy is rooted in good conscience.
I also purchase from Lucidty Gemstones, a company who works directly with cutters who set their own pricing
In full disclosure - I have a stockpile of gemstones accumulated at gem shows over a period of years before I understood the full impact of mining and cutting gemstones without using fair-mined and fair-trade practices. I can not verify the mine source or cutting standards used in these stones. I am continuing to use them in designs until they are gone but have switched to only purchasing additional gems that can be traced 100% to ethical practices.
I encourage repurposing old pieces you no longer wear - I’d be happy to work with you to transform your old jewelry into something new by using your existing metals and gemstones. I love working one on one to turn your inherited or previously acquired jewelry into new heirlooms you'll actually love to wear. You can see examples of my custom work here.
I source enamels from Thompson enamel, a 100 year old company in Kentucky. While they do not list specific sustainability practices, during a phone conversation, they assured me their base material suppliers are all US based companies who use fair practices for both people and planet.
I am currently investigating suppliers for these metals to better understand their origin and impact.
I use recycled paper white gift boxes, tissue, and packing materials. Sometimes the outer box won't be fancy, and it might have an amazon logo (better to reuse first, then recycle, right?!) but I guarantee there's a treasure inside.
Some jewelry calls for a special box. For the extra fancy jewels I use wood boxes made by Give Packaging, a New Zealand based company that only uses sustainable timber and focuses on green initiatives.