The Importance of Ethical Jewellery - Ocean-Inspired Pieces by World Treasure Designs
When it comes to shopping for ethically-sourced and sustainably-produced products, not a lot of people stop to consider their jewellery. Many of us are starting (or continuing!) to ask questions about where our food, our clothes, our beauty products, even our cleaning products come from…but our jewellery? I’ll admit, I didn’t think much about where the metals that make up my necklaces and rings come from, or where they were being produced; I’d buy pretty pieces from small businesses and feel happy enough about supporting a local, family-owned operation. And while that is incredibly important, there’s an important part of that supply chain I was overlooking: the source of that metal and the labor needed to craft it.
With an effort to learn more about conscious consumerism in the jewellery industry, I’m excited to introduce you to World Treasure Designs! This is a wonderful, family-run business based in Hervey Bay, Australia — which just happens to be my favorite place in the world to watch humpback whales from July - October. The world agrees; it’s been called the “whale-watching capital of the world.” I worked there as a guide during the winter of 2018. I’ve mentioned this on the blog before, but one of my very favorite parts of travel and seasonal work abroad is getting to know the incredible people that are out there making a positive difference for our planet. There is enough destruction and exploitation going on; what I love to see are the people who are recognizing the negatives and transmuting them into something that resembles a silver lining. Allison and Nick Thorp, the owners of World Treasure Designs, are two such people that are not just making silver linings…they’re making silver magic.
How World Treasure Started
First, let me talk about the kind of jewellery that comes out of their brand-new Hervey Bay workshop and the inspiration behind the company. Each piece is entirely handcrafted locally, in Australia, in this workshop. Everything is ocean-themed; the company grew out of “ a simple love for the ocean.” I know that many of us can relate to that feeling of attachment and intrigue surrounding the sea, and Nick — an avid scuba diver and ocean enthusiast — decided to take that love and infuse it into his jewellery when he started World Treasure back in 2010. He essentially grew up in the ocean, diving for crayfish and abalone down in Tasmania before he made his way north to Hervey Bay. Lucky he did; that’s where he met Allison!
The team’s goal with each collection is to raise awareness of the plight of threatened marine species and cultivate a greater respect for the ocean. You’ll find designs with whale sharks, tiger sharks, humpback whales, orca, manta rays, sea turtles…you name it, if there’s a marine creature you feel an affinity towards, you’ll find a piece of jewellery to express that love. All it takes is a scan of their jewellery line to see how exquisitely detailed each piece is; they don’t rush the process. This is truly sustainable and ethical jewellery at its most passionate. And the best part? World Treasure donates at least 1% of every purchase to environmental organizations as part of their 1% for the Planet membership. They’re in business to save the sea.
green-minded
With that much love for the ocean, it makes sense that Nick and Allison center their business around an environmentally-friendly operation. Their new workshop is solar-powered in order to reduce their energy consumption. You also can’t overlook the environmental benefits of choosing to manufacture all of the jewellery locally in Australia. As a society, we’ve shifted towards a “cheaper is better” mentality when it comes to purchasing our goods, which means we often overlook the fact that the savings we’re getting are actually being paid by someone or something else — usually, the planet or workers being treated poorly. This trend as it relates to jewellery has amplified in recent years. There are so many pieces of cheaply and inhumanely-made jewellery circulating through the economy today; these are the ones that tend to break easily or become worn-down, which leads to them getting thrown away and replaced without a second thought. You’ve heard about the benefits of making your clothing last and not falling into the temptation of “fast fashion” — so why fall into the temptation of “fast jewellery”? The continual extraction of metals and endless production of cheap jewellery is devasting for the environment.
Because of Nick and Allison’s emphasis on quality, World Treasure products are built to last. They are able to offer a Forever Guarantee with each and every purchase because their jewellery is literally built to last forever. This ethos reminds me of Patagonia’s business model (and we all know how much I love Patagonia…). If something does break or wear out (which can happen even with the highest quality goods), World Treasure would prefer to repair it for their customers rather than have them purchase something new. That’s dedication and ocean love in action; I can’t think of a greener business model. This is a labor of love for the team, and they are certainly not focused on profits. Their favorite motto? “Buy well, buy once.” It saves you money, and it helps save the planet.
conscious consumerism and transparency
The majority of cheap jewellery is produced in factories with poor working conditions and little regard for labor rights, and World Treasure wants to change that. As you’ll see on their website, both Nick and Allison are incredibly transparent about how their jewellery is made. They also want to see greater transparency from the entire jewellery industry, and are serving as a prime example of how to accomplish that sort of rapport with their customers . They want you to know what materials they use, how they were made, and who made it. By educating customers about the jewellery they’re buying, the hope is that these consumers will feel inspired to take a hard look at the other purchases they’re making and continue to support responsible businesses in other areas of their life. World Treasure wants to support the general public in a transition towards conscious consumerism, and they’re taking action to make that happen now by providing high quality, sustainably made jewellery.
where does the metal come from?
Speaking of transparency, I’m not joking when I say World Treasure wants you to know everything. The health of the ocean and the health of the earth are one and the same — one cannot thrive without the other. That means that in order to show respect to the ocean through your jewellery business, it’s important to ensure that all the metals used in its operation do not come from exploitive practices. Metal mining (especially gold) is considered one of the most destructive forms of mining, and is also often associated with inhumane working conditions and poor labor practices. World Treasure is using as much recycled precious metals as they can, and their Ocean Collection is made from 100% recycled silver. When 100% recycled metal is not an option, they exclusively use Australian-mined gold and Australian gemstones due to the higher environmental standards of mining in Australia. And I can attest to the eco-friendliness of their packaging: everything is recycled or completely recyclable, including their printed materials. Remember their motto of “Buy well, buy once”? Well, they’ve recently created a policy offering trade-ins if you’d like to contribute towards a new purchase by trading a piece you already have. They’ll even buy gold and silver from you, which they will melt down and refine to decrease their need for newly-mined metals. Shortening the supply chain like a champ!
the story of nala
I mentioned how magical the humpback whales of Hervey Bay are, right? Hervey Bay is a stopover for some of the South Pacific humpbacks as they head south to their feeding grounds in Antarctica. That means a lot of them are just playing and socializing while they’re here. I worked in the area as a whale watch guide in 2018, and that’s how I met Nick and Allison; Nick is a captain for one of the local whale watch companies. He’s spent countless hours spent studying the migrating humpback whales that make their way through his hometown every year, which means he’s had ample opportunity to glean inspiration from these friendly cetaceans. It’s time for you to meet one such beauty, Nala.
Nala is a famous whale in the town of Hervey Bay, and she’s the inspiration for World Treasure’s Humpback Whale Collection! She is the iconic whale of Hervey Bay, and there is even a statue in her honor and a parade celebrating her and her cohorts every year. Researchers have seen Nala 16 times over the years, and for 14 of those years, she had a calf with her. That’s incredible! She is certainly a standout mother, and World Treasure wants to celebrate that. Her life journey is applauded throughout the range of jewellery offered by World Treasure. That’s the other thing I absolutely love about this company; each piece of jewellery comes with a story.
so what can you do to support the ethical and sustainable jewellery movement?
It doesn’t matter if you live on the ocean or smack in the middle of a continent — wherever you are, you can make a huge difference in the life of our planet by being a conscious consumer. We all have a connection to the ocean (whether we realize it or not), and the next time you want to share that with the world, consider making a lifelong purchase from World Treasure Designs. Working hard to ensure the conservation of the magical creatures that call the ocean home and working hard to uphold an ethical business model that produces jewellery to last a lifetime? I want to hop on that train.
Join Nick and Allison and stand alongside a team that is fighting for the animals that have no voice. And to take it further and push for more greenfluencing, start conversations with people. Ask hard questions, and when they get answered, ask more. Demand higher standards for the production of the goods you use everyday. Be mindful. Be kind. As Nick and Allison would say, “The ocean is a world treasure too precious to lose.”
