Our Metals | Our Diamonds | Our Gemstones | Our Studio | Our Employees | Our Suppliers | Our Packaging
OUR METALS
The gold and silver that I use in my hammered jewellery collections are sourced from two American refineries and two Canadian refineries that producing their metals from recycled sources. This includes items like sheet, wire, and chain. By sourcing this material there is less need for new mining to happen, and I can be assured that I am providing my customers with a more ethical and environmental source for their jewellery.
For wedding, engagement, and custom rings, I use gold from either 100% recycled gold from Umicore Canada, or conflict-free gold from the Royal Canadian Mint. If you have a preference, please don't hesitate to request which you prefer for your piece.
RECYCLED
At Chayle Jewellery, we use metal suppliers that are committed to ethical sourcing and environmental sustainability in all aspects of their operations. The casting grain, sheet metal, wire, and chains that are used in Chayle Jewellery are manufacture using 100% recycled materials in the manufacturing processes.
SCS Global Services Certifications
SCS Global Services is an international leader in third-party certification and standards development in environmental and sustainability claims according to global standards. The suppliers of Chayle Jewellery have received SCS's certification for 100% recycled metals, verifying that when Chayle Jewellery buys their manufactured metals—gold, silver, platinum, and palladium products—they have 100% recycled content.
CONFLICT-FREE
For the majority of my custom wedding bands, engagement rings, I use gold sourced from The Royal Canadian Mint. Their operations refine metal from conflict-free sources (Canadian gold mines in Quebec), and from recycled sources (scrap dealers and pawn shops, and high-grade industrial scrap dealers).
The Royal Canadian Mint Refinery's Responsible Precious Metals Program
The Royal Canadian Mint is aware of the allegations of illegal precious metals mining occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and other internationally recognized conflict areas, and that profits thereof may be fuelling human rights violations.
The Mint opposes all activities that deny basic human rights and is firmly opposed to all activities which finance or contribute to abuses of human rights. In response to these concerns, the Mint's refinery has introduced the Responsible Precious Metals Program, aimed at identifying and validating the chain of custody of incoming gold-bearing refining deposits.
The Mint is committed to meeting its social responsibilities, and encourages its refining customers to do their part in ensuring that their materials are not sourced from illegitimate mining operations in either the DRC or other internationally recognized conflict areas, by participating in the Mint's Responsible Precious Metals Program.
LBMA Good Delivery Gold (since 1919) and Silver (since 2011)
COMEX Good Delivery Gold (since 1974) and Silver (since 2013)
TOCOM Gold (since 1988)
EICC-GeSI Conflict Free Smelter ISO 9001:2008
OUR DIAMONDS
CANADIAN DIAMONDS
The diamonds I offer from Canadian mines, are known for their high quality and are governed by ethical labour laws. Each Canadian diamond is graded and coded with a serial number to guarantee it's authenticity and quality. You will receive a detailed GIA or IGI grading certificate with your Canadian diamond and a CanadaMark Canadian Diamond Authentication Plate.
CONFLICT-FREE DIAMONDS
We are committed to selling conflict-free, ethically sourced diamonds. We believe it is unacceptable to tolerate conflict diamonds and human suffering in any way.
All rough and polished mined diamonds sold by Chayle Jewellery comply with the Kimberly Process, which ensures rough diamonds are
The suppliers of Chayle Jewellery's conflict-free diamonds procure the majority of their diamonds directly from suppliers that manufacture rough diamonds. Sourcing cut and polished diamonds that originate from Canada, South Africa, Botswana, Russia, Australia, and Namibia.
The suppliers of Chayle Jewellery's conflict-free diamonds are members with the Diamond Manufacturers and Importers Association of America (DMIA), which means that they share their commitment to upholding the highest standards for ethics, integrity, and professionalism in the diamond industry. Together, we are committed to boosting consumer confidence in diamonds.
OUR GEMSTONES
ETHICALLY SOURCED
The gemstones that I offer in my collections are sourced from ethical mines and cutting facilities. The benefits of ethical sourcing protect the livelihoods of skilled workers around the world and encourages transparency within the jewellery industry. I am extremely happy to provide my customers with a reliable and positive source for their gemstones.
FAIR TRADE GEMS
I offer coloured sapphires from ethical mines in Australia, USA. Each stone is hand selected for colour and comes with a fair trade level of background information about the stone so we can track its mining origins through to where it was cut, polished, and distributed.
OUR STUDIO
In my own studio, I have always taken extra efforts to create a healthy environment and reduce my use of chemicals and toxins by using safer alternatives. All scraps and dust from working with the metal, are collected in my studio and saved for refining.
OUR EMPLOYEES
Chayle Jewellery is primarily produced by the hands of owner and designer, Chayle Cook. The assistants hired in production, marketing, and management are self-employed contractors who work from their own studio, office, or home in Canada. This structure allows for a flexible workload as this company grows.
OUR SUPPLIERS
Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) Certification
Chayle Jewellery Studio uses suppliers that are certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council.
RJC is an international body, headquartered in London, that certifies fine jewelry product manufacturers and suppliers for responsible ethical, social, and environmental practices throughout their operations. Certification and membership requires an independent third party audit covering all aspects of operations, from our supply chain and production to business ethics and employee health and safety.
Members must meet RJC's Code of Practices which respects human rights throughout the jewelry supply chain for diamond, gold, and platinum group metals. RJC members commit to implementing continuous improvement processes to increase performance and achieve higher standards.
Solar Energy
Our American supplier (Rio Grande) for the sheet metal and chain we use in the hammered jewellery collections, is produced in a solar powered facility. They converted their parking lot into a covered parking lot with solar panels in 2010.
"Our home city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is one of the sunniest places in the United States. Since 2010, our facility has been 100% powered by roughly five acres of solar panels shading our associates' parking spots. This solar array generates more electricity than Rio Grande uses. We feed the surplus back into the local power grid, reducing our energy consumption to 'net-zero.'" - Rio Grande
OUR PACKAGING
For our e-commerce packaging, we select 100% recycled cardboard mailing boxes, gift boxes, tissue paper, envelopes, and gift bags whenever possible. Our mini plastic bags for keeping jewellery from tarnishing are made from biodegradable plastic. We reduce the amount of plastic tape needed to mail packages by using either paper tape on larger parcels, and for smaller parcels we use the shipping label to seal the package. For printing on our mailing boxes, we use a reusable stamp.
For our business to business packaging we reuse mailing boxes and packaging to reduce on waste.
Going forward we are looking forward to finding a printing supplier that uses recycled paper and soy-based ink; and a ring box supplier that uses natural fibers.
Please feel welcome to reach out if you have any comments or suggestions.
Thank you!
