In the disaster that was my hosting falling over, all my sites disappeared, including Ethical Beads. I’m working on bringing it back.

Ethical Beads is a social enterprise very dear to my heart, so I’m working on getting it up as soon as possible. As you’re my highly-valued readers, I’m giving you a special preview of the new copy for Ethical Beads. Please let me know what you think; I’m really keen to get feedback.

In other news, I did a bad thing - I neglected to update on Friday. I am truly sorry and from now on, my every other day schedule is really back. My health is returning to normal now (taking its time, but getting there!) So, hosting issues aside, everything should be normal now.

You hurt someone

And not just in a ’she feels bad now’, kind of way. But you robbed her of food on the table or an education or even years of her life.

Not directly, of course, but why should that matter?

Okay, I’m being confusing. Let me start again.

Most jewellery is complicit in evil

The majority of people buy jewellery from regular stores, chains, on the high street, the Internet.

The majority of jewellery sold on the high street is produced in unsafe, unhealthy conditions, damaging the health of those who make them.

Oh, and you’re killing the planet too

The majority of jewellery destroys the environment. Mining for precious stones and metals frequently causes massive soil erosion.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

You can change the whole thing now.

Our first customers are going to be in the minority, along with other ethical consumers.

But being decent is catching on.

FairTrade used to be the province of a few dedicated individuals; now it’s sold in Starbucks, as standard. Now supermarket plastic bags implore you to ‘Please re-use or recycle me’. Primark is part of the Ethical Trading Initiative.

Yes, the mainstream is just about starting to get ethical.

Save lives today

Why wait until everybody’s doing it?

Someone is hurting right now, today, making something beautiful for you, for your partner, for your parent. You have the power to stop that hurt and make sure the crafters of the jewellery you buy don’t suffer for it.

Ethical Beads are, well, ethical.

“Socially just and environmentally sound”

1. Safe, healthy working conditions - combating appalling existing conditions
2. Living wages - helping to end poverty & promote justice
3. Earth-friendly, environmentally sustainable - decent mining practices, recycled materials

Plus, for no extra cost…

We care about quality. After all, if we only produced ethical products nobody wanted, no one would buy them!

• Hand-crafted
• Unique
• Fashionable

If you think this is an important issue, please let me know. You could really help Ethical Beads change things now, particularly if you’re keen to research this with me. I welcome feedback too, constructive criticism, questions… You name it: Either comment or email me. Much appreciated!