Discovering Ethical Elegance: A Q&A With FTJCo Fine Jewellery (Win!)

Welcome to the world of FTJCo Fine Jewellery, a Toronto-based Certified B-Corp that redefines luxury with a conscience. Nestled in Cabbagetown, this hidden gem specializes in exquisite, locally crafted pieces, all made by an all-female team of skilled goldsmiths. Committed to sustainability, FTJCo sources its materials ethically, ensuring that each stunning creation not only dazzles but also supports responsible practices. Join us as we delve deeper into the vision and mission behind this remarkable brand; our chat with CEO, Gemsetter and Studio Manager Kesha Frank, below. —Noa Nichol

For us, it’s not just about the materials. It’s about the people who work here, the community we work in, the suppliers we source from, and all of the people and environments affected by our global supply chains.

What inspired the creation of FTJCo, and how has your mission evolved since its founding?

Believe it or not, FTJCo Fine Jewellery was initially envisioned as a wholesale jewellery supplier and manufacturer specializing in responsibly sourced materials! But when we first launched back in 2006, there wasn’t much interest from retailers in offering “ethical” materials. We knew that consumer demand was there, and that it was only going to grow, so we switched gears and became a direct-to-consumer company ourselves. FTJCo has evolved so much in the past 18 years, but our core mission has remained the same: we strive to find the most sustainable materials with the best sourcing that we possibly can, to make jewellery that is as thoughtfully crafted as it is beautiful. It’s the coming together of those responsibly sourced materials and intentionally designed jewellery that inspired our motto… Fine jewellery with integrity. 

In today’s market, how would you define a truly sustainable jewelry brand, and what practices does FTJCo follow to meet that standard?

A truly sustainable brand is going to take a holistic approach to its sustainability. It really needs to be something that is considered at every level of the company. For us, it’s not just about the materials. It’s about the people who work here, the community we work in, the suppliers we source from, and all of the people and environments affected by our global supply chains. 

In practice, being sustainable means that every decision is thoughtful and investigated. It means that if a client asks us, “Where did this come from?” we have an answer for them. It takes time and effort to seek out the suppliers and sources whose values line up with our own, but it’s worth it. We also rely on third-party certification and standards, which allows us to make verified claims, such as for our Climate Neutral diamonds. We’re really proud to offer these, so we’ve made them our go-to diamonds wherever possible, including in some of our holiday pieces, like the Stella Diamond Hoops.

Ethical sourcing is a key topic in the jewelry industry. Can you share how FTJCo ensures that your materials are ethically sourced and aligned with fair trade principles?

It comes down to evidence. What evidence do we have to support the claims that something is “ethical?” Transparency is a key factor in this determination. We share openly on our website what we know, and what we don’t know about the supply chains we work within. The vast majority of our industry relies on something called ‘Assurance Statements.’ This means that someone has made a statement attesting that a given material is “ethical.” But it’s just that, a statement, and frankly, we want to see the receipts! Just because you say something is ethical doesn’t make it so. That’s why we look for as much documentation and data as we can to support that something is what it’s claiming to be. For any given material, we want to see the chain of custody, audits by an independent third party, export documentation, laboratory certifications… basically anything we can get our hands on. Once we’ve gathered all that information, we can then determine if this material has come to us in a manner that aligns with our values. 

Traceability is becoming increasingly important to consumers. How does FTJCo prioritize origin traceability, and why is this important in your production process?

Traceability is essential in allowing us to make any kind of beneficial claims about our raw materials. A really obvious example is, If you can’t prove the origin of a diamond, then how could you possibly know under what conditions it was mined? Origin is the first building block; if you can’t say where something is from, there is no way to prove that it was mined legally, let alone responsibly. 

Climate neutrality is a big focus for many industries today. What steps is FTJCo taking to contribute to climate-neutral jewelry production?

We’re making big moves in climate neutral production. FTJCo was the first jeweller to partner with SCS (a provider of third-party certification for environmental and sustainability claims) in the development of their 007 standard for certified climate neutral diamonds, and we were the first to bring these Climate Neutral and Sustainability Rated diamonds to market. We have big goals, and we continue to push the envelope in our industry. We would love to bring climate neutral gold to market next!

Sustainable materials are central to FTJCo’s mission. What are the key materials you use, and what makes them more sustainable compared to traditional options

Let’s start with an often-overlooked aspect of sustainability in our industry: The longevity of a piece of jewellery. We strive to make objects that become heirlooms for our clients, that will live for longer than a single generation. This ethos is central to our design decisions. The pieces we make are designed to stand up to a life well-lived. The materials we work with are so precious, and have taken the Earth a long time to produce – they should be treated with respect, not as disposable!

Gold and gemstones are uniquely reusable, and one of the greenest things we can do is reuse the materials that are already available. We often repurpose clients’ existing jewellery into new pieces, and we refine their old gold so it can be part of the recycled supply chain. Our go-to gold is a blend that we alloy in-house, made from 50% Certified Recycled gold, and 50% Certified Fairmined gold. We love that this unique gold alloy offers both environmental and social benefits. Given that we make a lot of engagement rings and wedding bands, we sell a lot of diamonds and sapphires. We have traceability information on the vast majority of the gems we sell, including sapphires from Montana, Nigeria, and Australia. When it comes to mined diamonds, we’re currently sourcing a lot of Botswanamark and Canadamark diamonds, which offer a guaranteed chain of custody. But the majority of the diamonds we sell are lab grown, many of which are Certified Climate Neutral. The benefit of lab grown gems – especially when they’re climate neutral – is a smaller environmental footprint, traceability, and the reassurance that no one has been exploited along the supply chain. 

How do you see the future of ethical and sustainable jewelry evolving, and what role do you hope FTJCo will play in shaping that future?

My dream for FTJCo is to continue to agitate from within our industry for the change that our planet and species so desperately needs. I want us to continue to be the go-to partner for anyone in our industry looking to bring new sustainable supply chains to market. I hope to see significant change in the natural diamond industry and the dissolution of the black box that is the majority of that supply chain. But mostly I hope that customers continue to show interest in supporting brands that are doing the hard work of changing the way our industry operates. We can’t make the changes we need to without customers choosing to vote with their dollars creating demand for responsibly sourced materials. 

Win! A $500 Gift Certificate From FTJCo Fine Jewellery!

One lucky Canadian winner will receive a $500 Gift Certificate From FTJCo Fine Jewellery! To enter, head over to Instagram, follow @ftjco and @vitadailymedia and make sure to fulfil all the entry rules in the caption of the corresponding contest post. Contest opens October 21, 2024 and closes October 28, 2024. Complete contest rules and regulations here. Please note: if you are the winner, you will receive a DM (direct message) in Instagram directly from @vitadailymedia. Please be wary of fake accounts, which often use similar handles with an extra or missing letter, number or symbol. We will never ask for a payment or for your credit card number, and we will never ask you to click through a link. If you are unsure whether you have been contacted, via Instagram, by us or a fake account, email us before responding.