{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Anna Bario of Bario Neal on why jewelry is integral to pushing fashion to be more sustainable, why small businesses have power to instigate change & how "investment" in jewelry can reflect economic trends","description":"In Episode 326, Kestrel welcomes Anna Bario, the cofounder of Bario Neal, to the show. Bario Neal creates stunning jewelry while being committed to respecting human rights and environmental sustainability. Anna cofounded the brand alongside Page Neal, in 2008, with an interest in bringing sustainability into the discourse surrounding creativity, fine jewelry and craft. An exceptional designer and also a specialist in responsible gold and gemstone sourcing, Anna\u2019s work in sustainable initiatives and social impacts defines the framework for Bario Neal\u2019s ethical jewelry roadmap. \u201cI think [for] jewelry especially, the investment question becomes entangled with presentation \u2026 we also see that culturally come through jewelry trends. Just like in fashion, pant legs get shifted and there\u2019s so many ways we could interpret that as a reflection of the culture. And in jewelry, after the 2008 recession, jewelry got really small. Part of that was because of what people could afford, but also it was sort of like socially, what do we want to present?\u201d-Anna JANUARY THEME \u2014 EXPLORING THE NUANCE AROUND INVESTMENT PIECES This episode is part of a partnership with Bario Neal. One of the pieces included in this collab was a redesign of my wedding and engagement rings. If you\u2019re wondering why I would redesign my wedding rings? They felt a little too traditional for my aesthetic, especially as I\u2019ve matured, and also \u2013 the prong setting of the lab grown diamond just wasn\u2019t practical \u2013 it was always getting caught doing all the things connected to mom life. In this episode, we not only get an intimate look behind the scenes of what building an ethical jewelry roadmap means to Bario Neal, we also dive deeper into this month\u2019s theme of investment pieces.  One thing Anna brings up that is such an important and often left out layer of this discussion is how \u201cinvestment\u201d in the jewelry space can easily become entangled with the performance of economic resources and privilege. In jewelry, and other areas of fashion as well, this can mean the designs showcase a blatant reflection of the economic realities around us at any given time. For example, when the economy isn\u2019t doing well, often, jewelry trends will reflect that in favoring smaller stones and more quote unquote modest styles. And even if folks have the economic means to choose something with a higher price point or bigger stones, they may choose not to, based on what they feel comfortable presenting to the world in that moment of time. We unpack this and more in this special jewelry-focused episode. Turning To Stone, book by geologist Marcia Bjornerud that Anna mentions Mercury Free Mining Website Ethical Methalsmiths Website Bario Neal\u2019s Website Follow Bario Neal On Instagram This week\u2019s episode is brought to you in partnership with Bario Neal, a jewelry industry leader in ethical sourcing and progressive manufacturing. GET 15% OFF PERSONALIZED JEWELRY WITH CODE CONSCIOUSCHATTER15 AT BARIO-NEAL.COM ","author_name":"Conscious Chatter","author_url":"http:\/\/consciouschatter.com\/","html":"