Fair Trade Tin Can Tube Earrings.

South African jewellery is evolving with the times. Pieces once made of ivory, precious metals and stones mined by slave labour have morphed into traditional designs made from safety pins, glass, natural beads and recycled metal by artisans who are paid a fair price for their work. These earrings made from strips of printed aluminum cans and wire are a perfect sign of the times — fair trade and eco- friendly.

meet the artisans—As Zimbabwe refugees in South Africa, Gugulethu Mapuranga, his family and friends created the micro-enterprise, GuguCrafters. The artisans honed their skills and designed unique jewellery items. While hoping they had found safe haven from the turmoil and economic collapse in Zimbabwe, the group found itself the victim of xenophobic attacks. After two months, the group was able to purchase new tools and, with fair trade customer advances, begin again making jewellery from their homes in Cape Town.