What Does it Mean to Consciously Source Crystals?
At Moonlit Wilds, conscious sourcing means choosing crystals with intention, transparency, and respect. Here’s how we do our best to honor the earth, the workers, and the stories behind every stone.
At Moonlit Wilds, we’ve chosen to move away from the term "ethically sourced" and embrace something that better reflects how we approach sourcing our crystals: consciously sourced.
The truth is, “ethical” is a loaded term in the crystal industry that is vague, unregulated, and difficult to define with clarity (in fact, we wrote a whole post on it). So, we prefer to focus on the conscious decisions we make behind each piece we offer.
Consciously sourcing means that we are always doing our best to learn about the origins of a crystal, understand the conditions surrounding its extraction, and weigh the pros and cons before offering it to you.
It’s not a perfect process, but it’s a practice rooted in transparency, respect, and a genuine desire to do better by both the Earth and the people involved in the crystal trade.
Here’s a look at some of the ways we consciously source our crystals:
Supporting Small Businesses
Whenever possible, we prioritize purchasing from small, family-owned businesses. These businesses often operate with a level of care and integrity that larger, mass-market suppliers may lack.
By supporting these small-scale operations, we’re investing in people who are passionate about their work, and we feel that passion resonates in the quality of the crystals they offer. Plus, we believe that small businesses create a sense of community and connection.
Sticking Close to the Source
We aim to purchase crystals as close to the source as we can reasonably get. This often means working with miners, dealers, or small wholesalers who are closer to the mine than the average seller.
By reducing the number of hands a crystal passes through, we can help minimize the chances of poor labor practices, exploitation, or excessive markup. It also allows us to ensure the crystals we’re offering are more directly connected to the communities and environments from which they came.
Buying Old Stock
One of our favorite ways to source crystals is by buying old stock. We scour estate sales, auction houses, and antique malls for unique, rare, or vintage pieces.
Not only does this allow us to offer you beautiful and one-of-a-kind crystals, but it also reduces the environmental cost of mining. Crystals that have already been extracted and are simply waiting for a new home are a more sustainable option than newly mined specimens.
We also purchase crystals from other collectors to help recycle resources that would otherwise go unused.
Giving Crystals a Second Chance
Not every crystal that comes our way is perfect. Some might have small imperfections, chips, or cracks. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have value.
Instead of discarding these pieces, we choose to offer them at a discounted price so that they don’t go to waste. Additionally, we sell crystal chips, which are byproducts from the carving process that would typically be thrown away.
By offering these chips, we help reduce waste and minimize the need for further labor. Every piece has a purpose, even if it's a small one.
Virtually Touring Factories and Warehouses
While we’re not always able to travel to visit our suppliers in person, we make sure to do as much as we can virtually. We arrange virtual tours of factories and warehouses to get a closer look at how crystals are processed and handled.
This helps us confirm that the labor conditions are safe and that the environment in which the crystals are worked with is healthy. Transparency is key, and we want to ensure that every step of the process aligns with our conscious sourcing values.
Doing It Ourselves
We’re also in the process of learning how to mine and tumble our own crystals. While this is a long-term project and not something we’re able to offer just yet, we’re excited to get our hands directly involved in the process.
By learning to mine and tumble crystals ourselves, we hope to better understand the steps involved and eventually offer our customers the opportunity to purchase crystals that we’ve personally sourced and prepared.
We’re looking forward to sharing this journey with you in the future!
Why We Chose This Path
Consciously sourcing isn’t a perfect solution. It’s not always the easiest or most efficient way to source crystals. But it’s a path we believe in. A way to show our respect both to the Earth and the people involved in bringing crystals into the world. By being intentional with every step of the sourcing process, we hope to provide you with beautiful, meaningful pieces that have a story worth telling.
When you buy from Moonlit Wilds, you’re not just getting a crystal. You’re supporting a process that values transparency and fairness. Every decision we make is an effort to do better, learn more, and connect more deeply with the crystals we offer.
Thank you for supporting this journey. We can’t wait to share more with you as we continue to grow and learn.