Sam Rose is the British ethical jewellery designer/maker behind September Rose Jewellery. Based in Buckinghamshire her aim is to create beautiful and unique pieces of jewellery with a conscience – Pure Luxury. September Rose uses only the purest materials available, certified as conflict free, ecological and socially responsible. Her core belief is that ‘one person’s luxury should not be at the cost of another’s suffering or cause damage to precious ecological systems around the world’. Inspiration comes from the natural world and the art nouveaux period. Each and every piece is made to order and as such can be tailored to your wishes.
?!X: What’s the Future You Choose?
SR: The Future I choose is one where people have learnt to live in harmony with the environment rather than exploiting it for personal gain. We all must realise that in order for any of us to live in any degree of true comfort, we need to respect others and the planet and make changes to our consumer driven lifestyles. Current fast fashion may be great for being on trend but it has terrible consequences for those involved in the making of the garments, the sourcing of the raw materials and for the environment. Sustainability, respect and understanding need to be the new buzz words. In the future I choose people are aware of the ugly truths associated with fast fashion, the cosmetics industry, the jewellery trade and countless other industries and have demanded and made changes. Fairtrade and sustainable raw material sourcing is the only right way for the future – otherwise there might not be one!
?!X: What’s a ‘think’ to create this future?
?!X: What’s an ‘act’ to create the future you choose
SR: The action is to do your research before you buy something – find out more about where your clothes, jewellery, cosmetics, food etc come from. Take responsibility for your actions as a consumer and realise that even the small things you do can effect others and make a real difference. Learn that marketing is very manipulative tool and that you shouldn’t believe everything that you are told. Ask the difficult questions and make decision based on what you believe in rather than what you are told. It may not be the easy way but it is the right way.
?!X: What’s a ‘vote’ to create the future you choose?
SR: I have made the commitment as a jeweller to only use raw materials that I know exactly where they come from – Fair trade, Fair mined Eco gold (Oro Verde), Eco Andina Silver and gemstones that are from Ruby Fair and Open Source Minerals (certified by the Jeweltree Foundation). These are all 100% traceable, ecological and sustainable, plus they are helping the mining community get a fair deal and higher standards of living. My packaging is also 100% recycled and recyclable, made from 100% recycled paper and vegetable inks + fair trade organic cotton.
I also try and cook using seasonal organic fair trade ingredients where possible and use natural cosmetics and buy fairtrade clothes.
I also try to only replace things when they are broken or worn out rather than just because a newer spanglier version has just come out. (Of course we’re all entitled to a treat every once in a while! )
?!X: Future Soundtrack – What song would you take with you into the future?
SR: Very hard to choose 1 song as I love music (as in proper music that isn’t manufactured) I’m listening to Ed Sheeran a lot at the moment so I guess a good one would be ‘You need me, I don’t need you’ – I like the sentiment of staying true to yourself and what you believe in. Otherwise anything by Muse, their music inspires me and their talent astounds me.
Phase or quote : “it takes courage to grow up and become who you really are” E.E. Cummings
?!X: What are your five all time favourite weblinks?
SR:
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