Fair Trade Gems

Why Fair Trade Gems?

Choosing Fair Trade Gems means your purchasing decision creates a substantial and sustainable improvement in people’s lives.

Fair Trade Gems is part of a movement in many industries to implement and promote ethical practices. These ethical practices apply to both employees and the environment. Fair Trade businesses make a commitment to providing fair wages and safe workplaces. Additionally, businesses commit to consumer education, environmental sustainability, respect for cultural identity and public accountability.

Consequently, fair trade products ensure your purchases make life better for the people whose labor brings you those products.

About Fair Trade Gems

Ethical gemstones, responsibly sourced with a transparent supply chain.

Since 1976 Columbia Gem House has been building the world’s largest ethical mine-to-market gemstone supply chain. We operate gemstone cutting facilities on two continents to ensure faceters are protected from Silicosis. Columbia Gem House also works directly with governments, non-profits, and miners. These ongoing relationships ensure safety, fair wages, ethical sourcing and environmentally responsible mining.

Fair Trade Gems® is our promise to you to provide all the information we have on every gemstone. In order to properly communicate supply chain information, we created the fair trade gem protocols. Whether or not you buy from us, we hope you’ll join the fair trade gem movement. Demand safe cutting factories, safe and environmentally responsible mines, and fair wages for the people and communities who mine and cut these natural treasures.

Together we can make fair trade gems the rule, instead of the exception.

Environmentally Conscious

Environmentally Conscious: Protecting the Earth

Protecting the Earth is an important aspect of the Fair Trade Gems® protocols. Protection includes being environmentally conscious during mining, cutting, and jewelry manufacturing.

Gemstones are usually mined by hand, unlike mining for most commodities and minerals. Small scale mining is often done with hand-held tools, minimizing the lasting impact on the surrounding environment. A gemstone miner is much more likely to use a shovel or a basket than a backhoe.

Columbia Gem House plans its mining operations to safeguard the natural setting of the mine. One vital aspect of planning is working closely with miners, who generally live near the gem deposits. Additionally, impact on the native wildlife habitat can by reduced by leaving as much vegetation as possible untouched.

Columbia Gem House works diligently to protect streams, watersheds, and groundwater from natural sediment and pollutants. Although mining operations move a lot of earth and rock, environmental impact can be reduced with planning. Careful planning ensures that sediment does not block or divert streams and runoff channels which could harm fish and other marine life.

It is the company’s policy to restore and replant mine sites to as close to original condition as possible once mining is complete. In Malawi, native plants are being cultivated to restore the natural habitat. In Australia, past sapphire mines are now beautiful lush pastures.

By choosing Fair Trade Gems®, you are making a conscious choice to preserve our environment.

Contact Us


Contact Fair Trade Gems

Get in contact with us and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. We look forward to hearing from you!