Giving Back
The Craft Behind
Every Piece.
"I see jewelry as a quiet drama, worn close to the body. The people who make it possible — the carvers, the goldsmiths, the pearl cultivators — deserve to be seen. That is why we give back."
— Claire Sisi, Founder, TEASES
From Claire Sisi · Founder
"Every piece of TEASES jewelry exists because someone, somewhere, spent decades learning how to make it."
A jade carver spends years learning to read a stone before the first cut. A goldsmith learns the behavior of 18K alloy at the bench, not in a book. A pearl cultivator waits eighteen months for a harvest that may not come.
These skills are not interchangeable. They are not scaleable. And they are disappearing — because the economics of fast fashion and mass production make patience unprofitable.
TEASES exists in direct opposition to that logic. When we source from artisan workshops that have practiced their craft for generations, we are making a choice about what kind of jewelry industry we want to participate in.
Giving back is how we make that choice concrete.
Claire Sisi · Founder, TEASES · Vancouver
What We Preserve
Three Traditions.
Each Irreplaceable.
Our giving is not dispersed across many causes. It is concentrated on the three craft traditions that make TEASES jewelry possible — and the communities of people who carry them.
Jade Carving — Myanmar & Hong Kong
Grade A jadeite is read by hand before it is touched by a tool. A master carver interprets translucency, color distribution, and grain — then decides where to cut. This takes years to learn. We support the workshops and training programs that keep this knowledge alive.
Solid Gold Fabrication — Hong Kong & Italy
Our goldsmiths work with 14K and 18K solid alloys at the bench — casting, setting, finishing by hand. Workshop goldsmithing is a generational trade. We choose manufacturing partners who train apprentices and pay fair wages, even when it costs more.
Akoya Pearl Farming — Japan
A pearl farmer plants a nucleus, tends the oyster through two winters, and waits. The harvest is unpredictable. Japan's Akoya pearl industry is one of the most skilled and labour-intensive agricultural traditions in the world. We source from farms we can trace, and we pay what the craft is worth.
Going Deeper
Why These Traditions
Cannot Be Replaced.
Mass production can replicate the look of handcraft. It cannot replicate the knowledge behind it.
What a Jade Carver Knows
Jadeite is formed under conditions that cannot be manufactured. Each stone has a different structure — variations in translucency, internal color, mineral distribution. A skilled carver reads these before cutting, often spending more time looking than cutting.
"The stone tells you what it wants to be. You learn to listen to it. That takes years."
This knowledge is not written down. It passes from master to apprentice, through practice and observation. TEASES supports jade carving workshops and training programs that keep this transfer of knowledge happening in the next generation.
What a Goldsmith Understands
Solid gold behaves differently at 14K and 18K. It responds differently to heat, to pressure, to the setting of a stone. A bench goldsmith knows the material in their hands — not from a manual, but from years of making mistakes and correcting them.
"You cannot learn gold from a screen. You learn it from the metal."
We work exclusively with workshops that employ apprentices and maintain generational craft knowledge. When a workshop trains the next generation, we consider that a form of cultural preservation — and we support it with our sourcing choices.
What a Pearl Farmer Waits For
The Akoya pearl industry requires patience that runs against every incentive in modern commerce. A farmer nucleates an oyster, tends it through two winters, and harvests. The luster of the pearl depends on water temperature, seasonal timing, and the health of the oyster — none of which can be rushed.
"A pearl is the only gem that lives. You care for it the way you care for anything alive."
Japan's pearl farming families have perfected this process over generations. Many are under economic pressure from cheaper freshwater alternatives. TEASES sources Akoya exclusively — not because it is easier, but because it is the right thing to sustain.
Why Claire Chose This Focus
Many jewelry brands give back through generalized philanthropy — important work, but disconnected from the product itself. Claire's position is different: give back to the communities whose craft makes the product possible.
"If we are going to sell something made by someone's hands, we are responsible for those hands."
This is not charity at a distance. It is accountability built into the supply chain. When you buy a TEASES piece, you are participating in a system that values the maker — not as a cost to minimize, but as the reason the piece is worth anything at all.
Jade Sourcing
Myanmar · Hong Kong
Grade A only. Verified suppliers. Generational workshops.
Gold Fabrication
Hong Kong · Italy
Bench goldsmiths. Apprentice-training workshops only.
Pearl Cultivation
Japan
Akoya only. Family pearl farms. Traceable to source.
Sourcing Standard
Craft First
Every supplier chosen for skill preservation, not price alone.
In Practice
How Our Giving Works.
Three ways TEASES gives back to the craft communities behind our jewelry.
We keep this simple and honest. We are not a large organization with a formal CSR program. We are a fine jewelry brand with a clear point of view — and we act on it consistently.
If you have questions about our giving practices, email us directly. We will tell you what we know.
How We Contribute
Sourcing Choices
Every supplier we work with is chosen in part because they employ skilled artisans, pay fair wages, and invest in the next generation of craft practitioners. This is not a separate program — it is built into every purchasing decision we make.
Direct Support
TEASES contributes directly to craft preservation programs in our key sourcing regions — jade carving training in Hong Kong, goldsmith apprenticeship programs, and Akoya farming family support in Japan. Partner organizations are confirmed and updated annually.
Donation Requests
Canadian nonprofits focused on craft education, women's vocational training, and arts preservation can apply for a jewelry donation. We review all requests quarterly and respond to every submission.
Apply
Donation Requests.
We support Canadian nonprofits working in craft education, arts, and women's vocational training.
TEASES donates jewelry pieces — necklaces, bracelets, earrings, or gift sets — to qualifying organizations for use in fundraising events, auctions, and raffles.
We prioritize organizations whose work connects to the values behind TEASES: craft preservation, women's education and economic independence, and arts and cultural heritage. Local Vancouver-area organizations are given priority, though we consider requests from across Canada.
Requests are reviewed quarterly. We respond to every submission, even when we are unable to fulfill it.
Submitting a request does not guarantee a donation. We receive more requests than we can fulfill. We appreciate your understanding — and your work.
Donation Request