Pangea-Collection.com Blog

d faklfMore Polyvore sets with the Burnt Horn Necklace from Pangea Collection’s Indian Fair Trade Jewelry Collection.

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Several of Polyvore members have created great sets featuring the Fair Trade Jewelry piece from India - Brass Medallion necklace. Here are a few of my favorites.

Pangea Collection’s Handmade Silver Ball Drop Earrings from Mexico are featured in November’s InStyle Magazine.

Check out November’s InStyle, “Your Look, Instant Style”. See how the Mexican Silver Earrings are paired with a fur collared black coat, platform shoes and a silver clutch.

November InStyle Magazine

Silver Ball Drop Earrings from Mexico Featured in InStyle Magazine

Pangea Collection artisan jewelry and fair trade jewelry was used to style models for the Rush Couture Spring/Summer 2009 show on Wednesday, October 15th in Montreal.

Pangea Collection’s fair trade bangles from India were used on the models. Check out the beautiful designs by Claudet Floyd and how the Pangea Collection bangles give a pop of color perfect for any season!

These wood bangle jewelry pieces are handmade by a fair trade organisation in India and are brightly colored using vegetable dye.

Hello Everyone, I entered the WNetwork Expert contest. Here is the link to my submission. If you think it’s interesting please leave a comment and/or rate it.

One caveat, I did this totally last minute so the execution is not fab but the angle (if I do say so myself) is an interesting one. Hope you will think so too. Let’s move beyond just fab to fab and socially conscious.

WNetwork Expert Link for Patricia Pinkney

October is well known as breast cancer awareness month, it is lesser known as Fair Trade month. Fair Trade can be supported by purchasing goods which are designated fair trade products and/or produced by fair trade organisations.

Another way to support fair trade is to increase awareness by reading about fair trade and fair trade producers. In a previous article the Karen Tribe was highlighted as one such group of fair trade jewelry producers. In this article, another fair trade jewelry artisan group, the Mien will be featured.

The lu Mien are heavily influenced by Chinese culture and are believed to have originated from southern China. At least a million Mien are still living in China and there are also settlements found in Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. In Thailand the Mien are mostly residing to the north of Chiang Rai or Phavao province.

The lu Mien arrived in Thailand from Laos in during the latter half of the 19th century. There are no sub-tribal groupings within the Mien population, so there is little difference in the customary dress and appearance of the group. A woman’s outfit would include a black turban and a red ruff which has the appearance of a boa even though it is sewn into the front part of the tunic’s collar. The woman’s pants are heavily embroidered and are worn underneath a black or dark blue colored tunic that extends to the ankle. The outfit is tied with a wide sash. Women and children also wear silver neck rings with chains of silver ornaments attached that extend down their back.

For the Mien handmade silver jewelry is more than an adornment, it is also a statement of status and wealth. The silver jewelry worn by a young Mien woman helps a suitor to decide on a prospective bride.
Skilled silversmiths handcraft silver into intricate chains and petite flowers creating exquisite pieces of handmade silver jewelry that a Mien bride will wear in a heavy cascade down her back.

Handmade Silver Necklace - Mien

Many fair trade jewelry etailers support the Mien jewelry artisans and in doing so help maintain the high craft skills of a justly product ethnic culture while also enabling them to earn an income to support their families.

Consider supporting fair trade artisans when you purchase products especially during fair trade month.