Santa Fe, NM Sept. 12, 2016: Pioneering ethical jewelers Marc Choyt and Greg Valerio are joining formally to drive fair trade jewelry mainstream in the US market. Valerio will be Reflective Images International Brand Ambassador. Reflective Images Jewelry will exclusively offer the emerging Valerio luxury brand, “the world’s purest jewelry.” It will be the only exclusively fair trade jewelry collection offered by an American jewelry company for the US market.
“Greg is the not only the first pioneer of ethical jewelry, but a social innovator and campaigner. With his knowledge, we’ll be able forge a stronger path to make Fairtrade Gold and gems the choice for ethically minded US consumers,” says Choyt, President of Reflective Images Jewelry. “Plus, Greg’s experience implementing fair trade practices into artisanal mining communities will enable us to bring in new sources from producer communities around the world into our jewelry lines.”
“Millennials in the US are ready for authentic ethically sourced jewelry. They understand that luxury fine jewelry has been a horrendous ecological disaster for the planet and its people,” said Valerio, adding, “I have joined with Reflective Images because I recognise the deep integrity of their team, their passion for consumer excellence, and their commitment to construct change in the trade.”
Since their first meeting in the Madison Dialog Ethical Jewelry summit at World Bank in 2007, Valerio and Choyt have been working towards a shared vision: jewelry that adheres to a fair trade ethos, is ecologically responsible and beneficial to producer communities. They have collaborated on numerous projects and campaigns through their Fair Jewelry Action network.
The Valerio brand will bring meaningful progress to the ethical jewelry space in the US, which lingers far behind the UK and EU in industry understanding and consumer awareness. To address these issues, one of Valerio’s focuses will be to work with new designers who represent the future of the jewelry profession. “We will create opportunity for new avant-garde jewelry designers who do not wish to compromise concerns for social and environmental justices in order to create extraordinary fine jewelry,” said Valerio.
Valerio will officially be joining Reflective Images Jewelry, the only licensed Fairtrade Gold jeweler in the USA, on October 1, 2016. At present, Reflective Images is integrating the Valerio product line via their online store. Later this fall, Valerio will be introducing 3 new designers to the Valerio online offering, as well as completing a Fairtrade ecological (mercury free) gold processing plant with Ugandan Fairtrade mining communities.