The Green Jewelry Design Resource Guide [The Green Guide]:
A Resource Guide for Designers & Consumers
by Andrea Acailawen
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The second article in my column in the GreenWise department at Handmade News (HMN), Going Green: The Importance of Fair Trade Materials discusses the importance of using fair trade materials when handcrafting green products for the consumer. It also covers some of the challenges we face when trying to ensure that those raw and manufactured materials we incorporate into our work are ethically sourced.

For those committed to eco-friendly, green designs, the use of fair trade materials in the design process is more than just desirable; its necessary. Unfortunately, this is also an area that is often-times illusive. While I provided a short list of organizations that promote fair trade mining and manufacturing relative to the jewelry industry, the article is merely a foundational starting point. It is by no means comprehensive. My goal is to create a much more comprehensive fair trade materials resource list here in The Green Guide that will expand and grow over time as more information, and resources, become available.