Fair gemstones from Madagascar
The Cologne-based start-up MIADANA is causing a stir in the jewelry industry with its commitment to social justice: the company has set itself the goal of offering jewelry designers gemstones from Madagascar that have been mined in a socially and ecologically responsible manner.
The name MIADANA is Malagasy and means “to be in harmony with oneself”. This is exactly what Managing Director Alina Uhlitz aims to achieve with the sale of sustainable gemstones: Not only to create beauty and aesthetics, but also to raise awareness of the origin and extraction of gemstones.
Her husband Trina, who is Madagascan himself, started mining gemstones in Madagascar a good 20 years ago. He knows the various deposits like the back of his hand, but also the dark side of mining: poor working conditions, a lack of social benefits and low wages. This means that the local economy falls by the wayside. MIADANA was thus launched in 2018.
With MIADANA, Alina Uhlitz and her husband have made it their mission to support local small-scale mining in Madagascar by providing local miners with basic equipment for their search for gemstones and enabling them to monitor the production process on site. This ensures that healthy, safe and humane conditions are created on site while complying with regulations from a professional point of view in all areas.
To ensure a sustainable and transparent supply of gemstones, jewelry lovers and retailers should be informed about the origin and extraction process of the precious stones. The team behind MIADANA is convinced that if the gemstone and jewelry industry itself demands transparency in terms of social justice and responsible working methods, people will make great progress towards sustainability and fairness through this awareness. With MIADANA you wear responsibility directly on your neck or wrist… and with a good feeling.