Luna Tree

Know the story

Hand Made Ethical Silver Jewellery

Luna Tree was established in 2007 by Clare McCormack. Clare’s career path after graduating from art college took her into retail management and to the role of a buyer for a Fair Trade homewares and gift company, travelling extensively through South East Asia and West Africa. It was during these buying trips that contact with the silversmiths was established. Luna Tree continues to work with the same community today.

Clare works closely on the designs with the silversmiths on her visits to Thailand. Many designs are pure Clare. Some designs are a mix of Clare’s ideas and the silversmith’s creativity. While some are pure Karen Hill Tribe designs. Not quashing their creativity is something which is important to the central focus of the business, along with the Fair Trade ethics on which Luna Tree is run. Nature is the consistent source of inspiration for the jewellery, both for Clare and for the silversmiths.

Ethics are extremely important to Clare and form the very foundation on which the business is built. Luna Tree is a registered member of BAFTS. BAFTS is the network of independent shops and suppliers dedicated to promoting Fair Trade retail in the UK. Luna Tree is recognised as an Importer of fairly traded goods.

They work on a basis of total transparency from the producers to customers, creating a personal link from one end of the chain to the other. Working directly with their silversmith community ensures the shortest possible supply chain. Luna Tree has been registered continuously with BAFTS since 2009.

As a dedicated Vegan and lifelong animal rights advocate, they do not use any animal based products in their ranges. Nor are any tools used in production which are derived from animal products. All products are 100% Vegan. Luna Tree is an accredited member of the Vegan Traders Union. The Vegan Traders Union is a community of independent Vegan run businesses working together to support and promote each other.

Karen Hilltribe Silver

The hand worked Karen Hill Tribe Fine Silver has a unique look, weight and feel and offers the wearer an intimate connection directly back to the silversmith who produces each item. Each detailed silver component is painstakingly created by hand from fine silver. Luna Tree likes to use as much recycled silver as possible when they place orders. Silver can be reworked time and time again with no reduction in quality. Therefore, using recycled silver is the best ethical approach.

The silver is melted and moulded into ingots and then flattened into sheets. This is then cut, shaped, moulded, soldered and stamped into the finished item. Each piece is totally unique due to the handcrafted nature. No two beads, pendant or ring is exactly the same, just shining out with stunningly beautiful handmade characteristics. The silver can be worked with surprising speed due to the skills of craftsmanship and the purity of the silver. It can take several years of practice to become masterful in silversmithing.

All Luna Tree Jewellery is made in the village of Huay Dtom (pronounced Hoy Tum) which is situated in Lampang Province of Northern Thailand, South East of Chiang Mai. A village elder from Huay Dtom was one of the original people to receive direct training to assist in the elevation of his silversmithing skills during a Royal Thai government initiative. He subsequently taught others within the village to become master silversmiths with skills now being passed down through generations.

Many of the families in Huay Dtom are involved with silver production. Everyone has their own family based creativity with designs, working methods and techniques. No family of silversmiths replicates another’s and the village silversmithing is run as an ethical cooperative social enterprise.

Gender Equality

All the families involved in silver production within the village have a mix of both male and female workers. Both the men and women receive the same pay for the same work undertaken. Gender equality within Karen Hill Tribe communities sees all aspects of work undertaken by males and females equally including farming. Production always fits around other duties such as harvest time, festivities and childcare which further empowers the women producers.

Clare visits their producer village roughly once a year to develop new products, observe production and to catch up on all aspects of village life. This enables them to be positive regarding working conditions and practices of our producers. The work of silver smithing can only be undertaken by artisans with the skills gained after adequate training and therefore we can be absolutely certain that no child labour is ever used.

 

Luna Tree Collection