Ethical opals

Human rights and environmentally friendly mining processes are topics that used to concern diamonds sourcing practices only. Now, these topics concern not just the diamonds industry but the gemstones at large. More and more people are becoming sensitive to these topics and look at products that have been sourced, designed and realised according to the rule ‘what you love should not hurt anyone’.

Now, even for the gemstones industry at large, ensuring the sustainability of the supply chain is becoming more and more important while responsibly and ethically sourced products is becoming a key criteria in the consumers’ purchasing behaviour. 

Businesses within the gemstone mining industry encounter several challenges in certifying a gemstone as conflict-free, sourced with no use of child labour, forced labour or modern slavery, and not sourced from wartime economies, military conflicts, terrorism or criminal networks. 

In response to these challenges, businesses within the luxury jewellery industry have recently started introducing a more sustainable and fairtrade product offering. However, not only businesses within the luxury jewellery industry have to pay attention at the way their products are sourced but also businesses involved in the direct sourcing and acquisition of the raw materials. 

All too often such businesses acquire raw materials from Countries where values such as the respect for human rights and the environment are not enforced and where monetary concerns become the only criteria used. 

The responsible sourcing of opals, performed while respecting both the environment and the rights of the people employed within the opal mining industry and the opal jewellery industry has become increasingly important over the past few years and has played a key role in the choice of our business model and product offering. Since the very beginning of our family business we have been committed to ensure that our opals are fully traceable and responsibly sourced.

Most of our opals are hand cut and polished by the owner Alessandro in our workshop in Italy. By doing so we ensure that no child labour or forced labour is used in the realisation of the finished product. Further, we have personally met most of our suppliers and know the opal mines from which our opals are sourced. Moreover, no harmful chemical product is used for opal mining. With regards to the Australian opals, strict health and safety regulations apply to the working conditions within the mines and to the environmental restoration of the open cut opal mines.

OpaleMio has always endeavoured and will continue to endeavour that our gemstones are ethically and responsibly sourced. The choices each of one makes count. Choosing a responsibly and ethically sourced opal is just another way to work towards a better world.