As shown in our page on ethical sourcing it is NOT correct that there are no universally accepted criteria for the term “ethical sourcing”. However, crystalshops unwilling to change, keep using such false declarations as excuse for their inaction.

Even worse, the terms “ethicallly mined”, “ethically sourced” or “ethical crystals” are used so loosely now they do not hold much weight anymore. Especially when anybody can use the phrase as a way to market their products and engage in the deceptive practice of greenwashing to increase their sales. Even large corporations are now using this term to describe their products without any accountability behind their claims.

Almost 100% of the time if you were to ask a business if their items are “ethically sourced” they will say yes because they know if they say no they will probably lose the sale. With no accountability behind this term, it makes it very difficult to sort through the businesses that are purposefully deceiving others for profits and those trying to make a positive impact on the people and planet. The truth is, unless you know exactly where things come from and have direct connections to your sources, it is impossible to know the real social and environmental impacts of the products you are purchasing.

By forming a group of seven companies operating under the brand umbrella Gemrock we have become a global game changer in the crystal and jewelry industry. We now unite the entire sourcing, production and sales process of crystal products, silver and gold jewelry under one single roof, governed by a single set of ethical, moral and quality standards with full control from the mine to your doorstep.

We consider ourselves going beyond ethical sourcing and operate with a high level of consciousness about how we interact with nature. Landscapes and natural habitats are often destroyed at the expense of human greed and consumption. To find others who operate in sustainable ways and work to preserve ecosystems is exceptionally challenging. However we have seen that mining does not always have to be a destructive process and it is possible to restore and regenerate lands with intelligent land use practices.

There is also the moral question of whether extracting anything from the Earth is ethical at all. However you are probably reading this on a phone or computer, which contain rare minerals that are extremely destructive to mine for. Yet out of necessity we use these items in our daily lives as we are largely reliant on technology to work and communicate. Therefore, we all should be aware that change is not easy but possible, as long as everyone is willing to do his part: miners, lapidary artists, holesalers, retailers AND customers.

While our strict adherence to our ethical sourcing principles and our sustainable business initiatives do not often allow us to have the cheapest products or the most diverse product line, it is exceptionally rewarding to provide some of the highest quality stones and crystals from mining and lapidary operations across the world. That support really helps individual and small businesses to succeed, grow, and thrive while affording everyone involved a good quality of life.