Sustainable fashion is an industry that’s both developing and evolving. It aims to reduce the environmental impact of the clothes we wear, but it’s still very much in its infancy.
The word “sustainable” is often used interchangeably with “environmentally friendly,” but they’re not quite the same thing. Sustainable fashion is all about reducing the impact of your clothing choices on our planet. It’s also about taking responsibility for those choices, making sure that what you buy is made in a way that doesn’t harm others or our world.
Sustainable fashion doesn’t necessarily have to be trendy or expensive; it can be practical and stylish at the same time.
Vogue recently did a story on how to get started with sustainable fashion. One of their points in that story included the need to turn to scientific alternatives. This is where diamond jewelry comes into play, and the conversation surrounds the impact of the lab-grown diamond industry in this pursuit of sustainability.
Why Does Diamond Jewelry Need to be Sustainable?
Diamond jewelry is a timeless and beautiful way to express your love for someone. Diamonds are one of the most popular gemstones in the world, and they’re used in everything from engagement rings to diamond-encrusted watches. But buying a diamond ring comes with some concern over sustainability because diamonds are not mined sustainably.
The mining industry has been criticized for years for its treatment of workers and its environmental impact on local communities, particularly in developing nations where miners are often forced to work in unsafe conditions for low wages.
The mining industry also causes lasting damage to important ecosystems like forests, rivers, and streams that provide valuable resources like clean water and food for people living nearby.
How Rare Carat’s Lab-Grown Diamonds Contribute to Sustainable Fashion
Rare Carat is one of the most renowned lab-grown diamond jewelers in the U.S. and here’s how their diamonds are contributing to the sustainable fashion industry.
They are More Ethical
According to the BBC, there have been over 200,000 casualties on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine war. The war has had severe consequences on the Russian diamond industry, given that it’s now a conflict zone. The lab-grown diamond industry is a great alternative to such diamonds that come from conflict zones.
These diamonds are created in a lab and have the same chemical composition as mined diamonds, so they look and feel the same as mined diamonds.
They are ethically sourced and conflict-free, so you can rest easy knowing that your purchase isn’t supporting human rights violations or funding warlords.
Now, if you want to buy an emerald-cut diamond from a reputed diamond seller like Rare Carat, you can opt for cheaper and more ethical lab-grown diamonds over natural ones.
Rare Carat introduces these lab-grown diamonds and diamond engagement rings at a much lower price. That means not only are you getting the best value for your money, but you’re also ensuring an ethical purchase of high-quality diamond rings.
Rare Carat’s diamond reviews also show how these diamonds look almost like natural ones. That means no one can tell the difference between natural and lab diamonds when looking at them with the naked eye, especially when bought from popular diamond jewelers like Rare Carat.
That being said, Rare Carat sources its natural diamonds from retailers with a conflict-free policy. Thus, if you must buy natural diamonds and lab-grown ones aren’t an alternative, Rare Carat has you covered there as well.
They are Environment-Friendly
Diamonds have gained their reputation as the ultimate expression of love, but the reality is that they are mined from the Earth in a process that destroys ecosystems and human communities.
The mining industry has destroyed hundreds of thousands of acres of rainforest and displaced thousands of indigenous people across the globe.
Additionally, the mining industry uses millions of gallons of water in its operations every year, water that could be used by nearby communities instead. The industry also produces large amounts of carbon emissions and toxic chemicals like cyanide, which are released into rivers during extraction processes.
Lab-grown diamonds are a sustainable option for those looking to purchase a diamond without harming the environment. Unlike traditional mining, which relies on heavy machinery and large quantities of water, lab-grown diamonds are produced by putting small amounts of carbon and hydrogen under high pressure. This process takes place in a laboratory, and no harmful chemicals or other materials are used.
They are Easy to Recycle
The reason why lab-grown diamonds can be recycled is that they don’t contain any harmful chemicals or elements like those found in natural diamonds. These chemicals include boron and nitrogen, which makes up about 90% of the mass of a diamond crystal. This means that you can melt down your old jewelry at home with no problem whatsoever.
CNN recently reported that the demand for lab-grown diamonds is on the rise. This is a huge positive for the sustainable fashion industry. While clothing brands are already doing all they can to remain sustainable, it’s great to see that the diamond industry is slowly embracing sustainability, too.
