Ethical sourcing is becoming extremely diluted and deceitful. This is why we are making drastic changes to our store for the future. We can stand honestly to say all our products are ethically sourced. We have always gone out of our way to communicate and study our miners & suppliers. As we only buy from direct sources. We will be digging up some truths & experiences we have had as crystal & holistic sellers on this page.
What we know
We are moving towards a much more exclusive range of products. Since the demand for crystals & minerals {over lockdown} factories and mining practices have been moving fast, we have decided to discontinue smaller ranges like Tumble stones, Jewellery & Roughs. In the future, if we come across a much more ethical practice, we shall invest within this area again, selectively. As for now, it is getting much harder to receive commercial material, and it no longer feels or is ethical to keep ordering this in. Furthermore, we will not support mining that has caused danger and death in specific countries; therefore, there will be a reduction in the material we source.
What countries we work with
Brazil - Minas Gerais State, Bahia, Rio Grande do Sul State, Pernambuco State, Ceará.
South Africa - Congo, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Madagascar, Zambia. South Africa {Boekenhouthoek, Barbeton, Cape}.
Other parts of Africa - Morocco, Ethiopia, Tanzania.
India - Nepal, Pune, Mahrashtra.
USA - Uruguay, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, New York, Mainly West & South.
Our Supply Chain
Locality - We only purchase crystals from where they have been extracted. The miners are small scale miners with low environmental impact. When more extensive deposits are extracted, sometimes it is too dangerous to mine without machinery. Machinery is checked for safety use, including geologists on sight, to ensure they have a safe procedure for extraction.
Lapidary - When we purchase larger pieces, home decor or polished. Our lapidary services are in-house. They have premises where they can cut, polish and shape the crystals extracted from the mines. Most of our suppliers are independent family or local run businesses.
Directly Sourced - Once our crystals are ready to be shipped over to us, we supply them to you. We cleanse, connect and take delicate and special care of everything we purchase. All our crystals are stored away from plastic, unsafe conditions. We ensure secure shelving, tubs and display units for picking and cleansing.
No poor labour - Safety procedures are essential and each country will vary in their practises as it varies on the size and location of the mine. Ensuring all machinery in and out of the premises is functioning correctly and safely.
Fair Trade - Supporting families is refreshing to hear that our miners and workers are paid well and are content in the working conditions. Us paying that little extra to ensure procedures are followed and kept at a high standard.
Mother Earth - We love our home. There are different scales of mining. Artisanal, small scale and industrial. Concerns vary as it depends on the crystal that is being mined and how. But we have an 80% supply chain of artisanal miners which means it is an extremely low impact on the earth.
Relations - We are honoured to share that our purchases help build schools, plant trees and protect against poaching. Thousands of families have been supplied with work to support their families. Keeping close contact with our suppliers is essential. They send us videos, photos and video calls regularly. Building relationships with your suppliers goes a long way for trust, security and friendship.
Protect against Child Labour - None of our suppliers has children on site. In fact, all our miners and suppliers forbid the behaviour and are against their country laws to allow such a dangerous practice. Especially in much more poor states it is often normal for children to be mining, however our suppliers educate and ensure small scale miners are not operating in this manor.
What suppliers won't tell you.
FAST FASHION. {crystals, holistic products} is truly happening.
There are more diluted and resin made crystals on the market than authentic ones, they have been mastered and it can be difficult to tell at times.
PRODUCTS FOR MONEY. Further understanding the souls journey and earth existence. There are a lot of products we don't sell as it doesn't feel right energetically and it only feels like a lot of production is for money, it literally screams at us. We like to keep the energy sacred and ancient by supporting geometric shapes, raw energy, grids, points, obelisks, spheres etc. Other items, mixtures and new age tools do not feel right to us. We have come away from a vast selection of Birth stones & Zodiac products and any collections that do not resonate or feel right energetically.
Supporting mines that close and open
This topic is very delicate, and there are ethical businesses with their opinions on this which is OK. However, it doesn't feel right energetically and emotionally for us to continue supporting specific mining regions with one or more deaths.
Spiritually the soul has trauma within this space, and the vibrations distribute and remain if it has not been cleared on all levels. There is a dark imprint here, and we would go against our morals and hearts to do it for money or sell a specific material. As a spiritual brand, company and two owners who live and breathe spirituality, it would be an extreme contradiction to not ethically source and understand the earth & spiritual realms of these practices. So we do what we do to ensure the energy is right for people to work with as their sacred tools: sacred energy, exchange and work. Mother Earth is sacred, and we will do our utmost best to provide tools in a safe, sacred and ethical way.
Polished items & Commercial products
Free forms and polished crystals are something we have never truly stocked or maintained. We have been hunting for the right energy, sourcing and polish to provide variety for this range. We want to share what we know! Industry professionals and years of experienced knowledge about what happens within the lapidary industry.
We have learnt and discovered that a lot of carvings are from Indonesia and Chinese origins. Some fantastic lapidary workers are within these countries, which does not make every seller unethical or unauthentic! Especially when the sizes, quality weight reaches a certain point. Carvings are not cheap products for retailers to purchase.
However, there are a lot of hidden truths about what makes these carvings so perfect, shiny and symmetrical. Many of the crystals are mixed with other chemicals and resins; this is a technique that some factories use to double profits and materials, making it seem cheap to purchase and retail. This is why we never recommend drinking water from polished materials.
A lot of softer crystals are processed with glue making the material stick and hold in the shapes that are trying to be produced. Using glues, resins, and other chemicals with a natural stone are still somehow classed as "natural stone" as it requires authentic material inside.
The ethics behind this is unknown. We have discovered that suppliers never state or answer questions about crystal origins and the factory environment.
There are talented workers out there who do not need to process crystals with other mixtures. They may be more pricey but they are ethical, most likely to be authentic and natural.
Supporting Cultivation, Ethical & Harvested Plants & Medicine
Truth.
When we speak to medicine tribes, land owners and indigenous people. The one thing we have always heard is about sharing the medicine with the world, so long the cultivation can be kept and maintained, respected and fairly traded.
We are continuously educating about Sage & the products that are correctly harvested. Unfortunately, there is a lot of false information and statements that are claimed or misinterpreted. Don't get us wrong; there are large corporations who are extracting from sacred lands around the world from indigenous tribes & communities. You will notice in our shop that we don't have a large variety of Sages or holistic tools because we understand and know exactly how, where and when they are extracted. Anything we don't stock is because of unethical practices or a lack of safe resources.
Our background.
We have various connections to shamanic origins & of course being on the journey for several years now. We have connections to tribes & indigenous communities to bring forward these plants.
We have great connections to South America and other parts of the world to understand the endangered and threatened plants. For example, we refuse to sell any Palo Santo as it has become unethical and dangerous to the indigenous and local communities.
Environmental Protection.
Quite a few of our suppliers in the crystal and plant world support anti-poaching. In shamanism, the animals' remains are collected after natural causes. Connected to the spirit for permission and purpose.
Our plants are cared for, grown and extracted accordingly to their natural habitat. Once they are ready, they will be dried and handled by staff for wrapping and packaging.
We do not sell wild sage, nor do we sell them commercially. Each smudge stick has been handled by paid staff and the indigenous people. Providing income and keeping the community together