The Learning Journey luxe.zen

In our modern, globalized society, we come into contact with the artifacts of other cultures on a daily basis. It is easy then to “try on” the cultures of others without spending the time to immerse yourself in a full scope of learning of the meaning and purpose of that symbol. We call this “try...

For very common and lower perceived value stones such as quartz, the market price is very low, even for premium quality specimens. With this work being both dangerous and labour-intensive, we know the market price is not a sufficient liveable wage for artisanal miners. 

It can be frustrating to find out a product you thought was environmentally friendly or ethically made is in fact not. The truth is that many brands' marketing missions are to convince you their product is the greenest and/or most ethical option out there. They will make bold claims that most of ...

You can’t claim that your recycled gold is ethical simply because it’s recycled. The gold recycled to then become jewellery components is not always from jewellery originally, and the gold that’s melted down for jewellery can come from almost anywhere.

Imagine gathering up all of the gemstones you’ve worked so hard to mine by hand over the last few months, placing them in a bag, and hopping on your local bus bound for another town where local gemstone dealers gather. Here the gemstones that you’ve worked so hard to mine from the earth will be a...

We often assume that in countries like Canada and the United States, businesses and governments operate ethically and don’t ever violate human rights. When it comes to the gemstone and metal mining sector, we may think that our robust laws governing wages, working conditions, and environmental pr...