Page 3 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast
Results 21 to 30 of 33

Thread: Would You Pay More For Fair Trade Gold?

  1. #21
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    131

    Default

    To be honest, I would buy and expect to pay more for fairtrade gold. I have a supplier who I buy recycled gold from and my customers prefer that type of gold, so fairtrade would even be better. Do you know who the supplier is? I've heard some jewellers use it in the UK, but can never trace a supplier.

    Has anyone seen the Channel4 programme that was on yesterday about the mining of non-fairtrade gold in Africa. I've recorded it and yet to watch, probably today.
    Last edited by lilia; 28-06-2011 at 06:56 AM.

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Birmingham
    Posts
    106

    Default

    Thank you for your comments, we have released a statement regarding last night’s programme.
    We hope this statement will answer your questions. Please click here to view

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    131

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by ahunter View Post
    Thank you for your comments, we have released a statement regarding last night’s programme.
    We hope this statement will answer your questions. Please click here to view
    Thank you for your reply. Oh, I actually emailed you several times last year to find out how much of recycled gold you use in your mill products (I understand that there had to be some mined gold to make up for the shortage) and you NEVER replied, out of 4 emails sent, not a single reply was recieved - is there something dark hiding there? Makes me wonder how ethical you are as a supplier.

    Quote Originally Posted by ahunter View Post
    We are the UK’s leading recycler of gold by volume and have recently invested significantly in a new refining line which will be used to recycle gold under a fully audited and dedicated process. Under the trademark “Ecogold”, we are developing a product that uses only this recycled material. This is due to be launched to the market in September and will be supported with it’s own website – we’ll let you know when we’re about to go live.
    That would be great, can't wait. As it's going to be called ECOGOLD, is it going to be environmetally friendly as well? You can't really call it eco, if it's going to be damaging for the environment.

    Quote Originally Posted by ahunter View Post
    We are also supportive of Fairtrade Fairmined gold and Fairtrade Fairmined Ecological gold and are working with Fair Trade to become an authorised supplier, with the aim of using our distribution network to make it as readily available to as many people as quickly and easily as possible and at no extra Cookson premium.
    That's great news. Is this actually in the process of being set up or is it just plans?
    Last edited by lilia; 28-06-2011 at 08:04 AM.

  4. #24
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Central London
    Posts
    8,846

    Default

    http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&xhr=t...w=1280&bih=649. You will need a morning off to read all this.

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    The Netherlands
    Posts
    429

    Default

    Another fantastic hot potato you have tossed to the group there Dennis, well done! I find it amazing to see the reactions on the channel4 website to the TV program last night. http://www.channel4.com/programmes/d...of-gold-pledge Stop buying jewellery until every supplier can provide ethically sourced goods, are you crazy??

    There is a reason there are only 20 licences granted in the UK, it is likley there will be only 5 here in NL, for the reason that fair trade gold is very difficult to obtain there a few licenced miners across the world. The majority of the suppliers are UK based and if Cookies cannot get hold of the stuff, there is very little to be had. Of course we should be expected to pay more for fair trade gold, this is artisanal work.

    Compare the price of fair trade coffee in the supermarket to the price of your normal coffee, is there a difference, you bet there is. A standard percentage for gold goes to the miner himself, so the cost from the refiner is higher. On top of that the licence comes with a fee from the fair trade organisation per country, then each jeweller pays a percentage of the value of sold items, again to their respective fair trade organisation.

    This is in the end all about awareness and providing the end user with an additional choice, it is not going to stop the world from turning. As a stuio artist, I feel this should come from an artisanal perspective. I am currently registered with Max Havelaar our fair trade organisation to be a supplier of fair tade fair mined gold, so I will be happy to keep the forum posted on my experiences.
    Poor old Les

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    131

    Default

    I have just watched the Dispatches programme on dirty gold and must say how horrified I am with what's going on, I had no idea. I am also rather disappointed with the Cookson's arrogant attitude towards us, their customers - disgusting. I am now off to buy recycled gold from my USA supplier. I hope Cookson's are being serious about launching the Eco gold very soon.

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Posts
    313

    Default

    No, please don't bring in a line of 'Eco' gold. Please don't jump on bandwagons and please don't mask the serious problems of poverty, corruption and greed in these countries by providing a salve for the consciences of wealthy westerners.

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    131

    Default

    Am I missing something here? So, you would actually rather support the poverty and the damage to the environment by bying the 'dirty gold'? Everyone is entitled to their own choice, of course, but unless we stop buying the dirty gold and support recycled and fair trade, the poverty and the environment damage is not going to go away.

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    108

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Joe View Post
    No, please don't bring in a line of 'Eco' gold. Please don't jump on bandwagons and please don't mask the serious problems of poverty, corruption and greed in these countries by providing a salve for the consciences of wealthy westerners.
    Absolutely agree Joe. There's nothing within the jewellery industry you can say is 100% ethical and ecologically friendly -even pearls which are touted as Eco Friendly -the Chinese freshwater pearl industry where millions of creatures are being killed to harvest these things, young women as young as 15 work in the factories sorting them for the equivalent of $167 per month and chemicals and dyes are used to enhance the colours.

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    131

    Default

    May be not eco friendly, but it doesn't take a rocket science to work out that recycled gold is made of old jewellery melted down and refined, and not out of new mined gold. What I think Cookson shouldn't do is call that type of gold ECO, because it is not going to be eco. Why not just call it recycled???

    I wouldn't even start on pearls....

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •