Fenty Beauty, need to show accountability in mica sourcing due to the perils of child labour to produce beautifully painted faces with mica
Mica, is a naturally occurring mineral, which has sometimes been referred to as ‘‘nature’s glitter” due to its highly reflective properties and its heat resistance. Popularly used in cosmetics to bring about the high pigmented glitter/ shimmer in everything from lipgloss, to eyeshadows and blusher’. The cosmetics industry are not the only ones tapping into this precious mineral, the automotive industry due to the surge for luxury cars equally have links to mica for the production of car paint.
The ethical issue for mica produce, is its inexplicable use of child and forced labour. Mica, is to the western world and many consumers, just another ingredient to make shiny new products including, cars and cosmetics but within sourcing countries such as; India and Madagascar mica has not nearly the same affection. As thousands of children forgo education due to lack of financial resources to attend school and instead labour way in hand dug pits, risking their very lives and resulting for many in severe health conditions including respiratory issues, and others the fatal.
Despite the introduction of legislation such as the Modern Slavery Act in countries, like Australia, The United Kingdom and The United States the resistance to conduct deep due diligence in Mica hotspot areas namely India and Madagascar is alarming. Day by day, cosmetics giants, such as Fenty, Kylie Cosmetics, and KKW are producing highly pigmented makeup products, with the use of the star ingredient — MICA! Making the founders, Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian West and Rihanna ‘flithy’ rich in the sale of these goods.
Yet inadvertently aiding in the horrific supply of child labour. Despite claims from Kylie Cosmetics, (who is now part owned by Coty- who do belong to RMI) to be in fact cruelty-free and vegan, the cruelty aspect like many big name companies is in relation to animal testing and not human rights cruelty neither child or forced labour.
In recent days (Feb 5th 2021) Fenty has come under the microscope of LRO an Indian based Labour Rights Organisation for the use of what it calls, “blood mica” they are demanding a full investigation, to prove that Rihanna’ Fenty beauty brand is not using mica from Jharkhand, Eastern India where illegal and exploitative mining of mica is well known to take place. They are demanding to see what should be standard documentation known as a Supply Chain Clearance Certificate. Worryingly no evidence has thus been presented and to make Fenty’s issue worse, it seems there has been a lack of auditing in compliance with the Californian Transparency in Supply Chains Act, whose very legislative design is to have companies ensure through internal audits submitted that no human trafficking neither child or forced labour is taking place throughout their supply chain operations.
Unethical mica, is indeed appalling. The issues of child labour associated to unethical and illegal mica mining needs urgent and priority address. According to a year long investigation from Terre Des Hommes, in Madagascar they are 11,000 children digging and scavenging mica for a pitiful 34p a kilo. Much of this mica is then sent to the worlds manufacturer, China. This act of exporting, adds several layers to the supply chain, from middle men within Madagascar to the middle men and manufacturing hubs in China. Making excuse for lazy and purposefully unaccountable corporations, who prefer to audit up to their first teir supply chain, meaning their manufacturers. Leaving the base line issues of foundational mineral sourcing open for continued labour exploitation.
The very basic that can and should be done from corporations profiting from mica is to have in place continued systematic deep due diligences’ within their multi-layered supply chain networks. Especially from corporations within the cosmetics and the automative industry, who are aware of the high risk of child and forced labour associated to mica. Fenty, Kylie Cosmetics and KKW are leading popular cosmetics brands who can make a stand against these awful human rights violations by ensuring they get their supply of mica from responsible mica miners. Mines that ensure that children are not being used and where workers are being paid and treated fairly.
As consumers, ignorance won’t cut it, we equally have a responsibility to spend our money in a considerate and calculated way. I personally have given up wearing blusher since 2018, despite my love of blusher. Our choices can lead to change, choosing to buy with brands that source responsibly encourages brands to create responsibly. If we say we want a fairer world, our spending habits are one of the most powerful ways to show that we want businesses that consider people and planet alongside their profits.
