The dirty business of beauty | DW Documentary

DW Documentary・2 minutes read

Gua Sha stones and crystals are used in skincare, endorsed by influencers and celebrities like Claudia Schiffer and Kendall Jenner. The exploitation of workers in Madagascar's rose quartz mines is highlighted, with the passing of the Supply Chain Act in Germany falling short in addressing labor issues in the industry.

Insights

  • The use of Gua Sha stones and facial rollers for skincare is popularized by influencers and celebrities, promoting anti-aging benefits and lymphatic fluid movement, with a focus on spirituality and relaxation.
  • The exploitation of child labor in Madagascar's rose quartz mines reveals systemic issues of poverty, lack of education, and hazardous working conditions, despite existing laws prohibiting child labor, shedding light on the challenges in addressing labor rights and ethical sourcing in the gemstone industry.

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Recent questions

  • What are Gua Sha stones used for?

    Anti-aging and skin relaxation.

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Summary

00:00

"Crystal Industry in Madagascar: Challenges and Influences"

  • Gua Sha stones are used for anti-aging and skin relaxation, with different types targeting wrinkles and happiness.
  • Crystals and minerals have become a significant business, with a focus on spirituality.
  • Influencers demonstrate the use of facial rollers and Gua Sha stones for lymphatic fluid movement.
  • Celebrities like Claudia Schiffer and Kendall Jenner endorse crystals and showcase their favorites.
  • Madagascar is a major source of rose quartz, with poor working conditions for miners.
  • Transparency International highlights the urgent issue of unpermitted mining in Madagascar.
  • Most mining in Madagascar is artisanal, with human labor extracting crystals.
  • A visit to the coastal town of Toamasina aims to trace the route of rose quartz from mines to ports.
  • Attempts to film at the port are thwarted due to permit issues and a positive Covid test from a team member.
  • The team heads to Antsirabé to visit rose quartz mines, navigating challenges due to poor infrastructure and poverty in Madagascar.

18:23

"Rose Quartz Mines: Child Labor and Exploitation"

  • The team is equipped with a Jack Wolfskin Backpack, gifted by a grandma, as they approach a location where they plan to meet people without filming initially.
  • Rose quartz deposits in Madagascar are just beneath a thin layer of soil, freshly mined stones can be sharp, highlighting the dangers faced by child laborers in mines.
  • Child labor laws in Madagascar prohibit those under 18 from working in mines, yet children like Naina, aged 15, are found working due to financial constraints.
  • Naina expresses a desire to return to school, shedding light on the low education rates in Madagascar, with only 63% of children completing primary school.
  • Workers like Sisia, aged 20, share their struggles, dropping out of school to support their families due to financial hardships.
  • The team introduces a rose quartz facial roller from Germany to workers, sparking discussions on the high prices these products fetch in Europe compared to the meager earnings of laborers.
  • Laborers are paid around 10 cents per kilo of stones mined, with nearly half of children in Madagascar between 5 and 17 years old engaged in work due to poverty.
  • Fidy, a stone seller, reveals that rose quartz is primarily exported to China and India, with little awareness among European buyers about the stones' origins.
  • The team adopts a fake start-up, Soa Organics, to investigate Chinese suppliers, uncovering a lack of concern among suppliers regarding working conditions in mines.
  • At a gemstone fair in Europe, retailers acknowledge the poor working conditions in mines but prioritize price and quality over ethical sourcing, highlighting the challenges in addressing labor issues in the industry.

37:37

German Supply Chain Act Protects Workers, Limited

  • The Supply Chain Act in Germany, effective since January 1, 2023, aims to protect the rights of workers producing goods for the German market, but it has been weakened, now only applying to larger companies, due to opposition during the legislative process.
  • The law obliges German companies to ensure human rights compliance, but only after a complaint has been filed with indirect suppliers, leading to evasive responses from big retailers and suppliers in China regarding working conditions.
  • Despite the passing of the Supply Chain Act, it falls short in addressing the exploitation of workers in countries like Madagascar, as German companies can use the law as an excuse by only inquiring up to the level required, typically limited to China, leaving those at the beginning of the supply chain unheard and unseen.
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