Silverchilli

General information

Silverchilli is a not-for-profit fair trade company bringing designer Mexican silver jewellery with the accent on funky to you! We pay large deposits on orders to fund the raw materials, work with the silversmiths to ensure that they make a good living from their jewellery, and offer fair trade loans to help expand their businesses at low risk.

All of our jewellery is made from reclaimed silver - so there is no new mining - and all of our profits go into funding a women's and children's centre in Taxco, Mexico where the silversmiths live and work.

3 Brits and a Mexican started Silverchilli! Rocio Ordonez, a Mexican Graphic designer with a passion for Fair Trade; Iain Mabbott our website developer and operations manager; and Zoë Young and Jane Kellas who both have a personal commitment to Fair Trade that is reflected both in and outside of their careers in the international development sector.

Our project management team in Mexico; Mercedes, Jaime, Ale & Israel manage the direct contact with the silversmiths and the women’s and children’s centre we support – ensuring that our fair trade credentials stretch right to each and every person involved in Silverchilli.com – ensuring they get paid on time and they receive the support they need.

Starting at a time when most dot.com’ers were making their millions, in late 1999, the aim was to use the power of the web to open up opportunities to bring Fair Trade jewellery to people who may never visit Mexico, but, through their shopping choice, could enhance the lives of whole communities.