Video: The Last Gold Rush A documentary about ethical mining in Colombia. Produced & Directed by Michael Penney, Ryan Taylor Producer
About the Fair Trade Jewellery Co.
The Fair Trade Jewellery Co. designs and creates ethical, environmentally sensitive custom, bridal, and engagement jewellery. We promote sustainable community development by using premium Fair Mined Gold and Platinum from small artisanal mining communities in the Chocó rain forest, Colombia. Custom designs are made in our atelier using only Certified Canadian Diamonds, creating some of the most luxurious and exclusive socially conscious products in the world. Premiums paid for our raw materials, and a significant percentage of proceeds from all retail sales aid in the building of sustainable infrastructure for small scale community mining villages, with the support of our friends and partners at Fundación Amigos del Chocó, Colombia.
For those on a budget, we now offer Clear™ an ethical alternative in gold, platinum & palladium that is SCS Certifed. This allows us to offer a post consumer 3rd party verified recycled product with a minimum of 88% (18% post-consumer 70% pre-consumer) recycled content from the world's existing metal supplies. This ensures that no further damaging mining is required to produce the jewellery.
Ryan Taylor, Fair Trade Jewellery Co Founder, was born into a family steeped in mining, prospecting and design. Ryan grew up listening to the stories of his father, his uncles, and his grandfathers on both sides leading their lives in the industry; his grand-aunt Viola MacMillan was the first woman inducted into the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame. The FTJCo honours this legacy with a commitment to fairness, sustainability and community. The FTJCo was established in 2008, but the seed idea and much of the research came to Ryan in 2006. A Graduate Goldsmith he has studied under a diverse collection designers, jewellers, goldsmiths, and artists. As a result, FTJCo emphasise premium standards in quality of design, source materials, and narrative.