Earth Day 2025 will be celebrated on April 22, bringing renewed interest in ethical sustainability to many industries, including fine jewelry. Recent trends see consumers, especially Gen Z,  prioritizing ethical materials, lab-grown diamonds, and transparent sourcing when purchasing luxury goods. 

The Rise of Sustainable Jewelry

The increased demand for ethically produced jewelry goes beyond sourcing to include production methods, certifications, and environmental initiatives. One of the industry’s forerunners in this trend is MiaDonna, founded in 2005 by Anna Mieke Anderson. The company sells conflict-free, lab-grown diamonds, offering a luxurious, ethical alternative to mined diamonds. 

The company has also pledged an EcoDrive initiative to plant trees in every order to offset the carbon footprint. 

Anderson offers a fair assessment to those purchasing sustainable jewelry: “Just because a diamond is grown in a lab does not automatically make it sustainable, eco-friendly, or conflict-free. Consumers need to ask more questions and verify.”

Technology and Transparency in Lab-Grown Diamonds

Lab-grown diamonds have evolved since the initial CVD diamonds of 1952, which were unsuitable for jewelry. Gem-quality diamonds started to appear in the early 2000s, and rapid technological advancements have resulted in vast quantities of high-quality diamonds. 

Early (2007), HPHT diamonds were yellow-orange due to nitrogen impurities and, by 2020, were nearly colorless. Today, analysts project that 20% of diamonds on the market are lab-grown due to the rapid advancement of laboratory technology. 

CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) and HPHT (High Pressure, High Temperature) are separate methods for creating lab-grown diamonds. CVD utilizes a gas chamber to grow diamonds in layers, while HPHT replicates the high pressure and temperature of the Earth’s mantle to grow diamonds. Both techniques produce aesthetically and scientifically identical diamonds to mined diamonds, though there are debates about final characteristics, purity, and which methods consumers prefer.

What Consumers Should Know

When consumers shop for lab-grown diamonds, they should consider the industry’s four Cs: Cut, clarity, color, and carat weight. Lab diamonds are rated by gemological organizations based on overall weight, imperfections, and shape. 

One of the primary questions to ask a jeweler is if the diamond has been certified by a reputable organization like  GIA, IGI, or GCAL. Another consideration is whether the diamond was grown using CVD or HPHT, and if there are any significant differences in the growing methods.

Questions about the jeweler’s sustainability practices and transparent sourcing are becoming more common as consumers shift toward eco-friendly practices. Often, the answers to these questions are just as important as the quality of the diamond, ensuring consumers make an environmentally friendly purchase.

Earth Day brings renewed interest in eco-friendly changes across many industries, including fine jewelry, which is changing how jewelers source their diamonds. The future of fine jewelry is shifting toward eco-friendly mining and production methods, spurring the popularity of lab-grown diamonds and sustainable sourcing. 

This trend transforms how consumers look at luxury products and how jewelers meet the demands by ensuring environmental safety and giving customers peace of mind that they are making an eco-friendly purchase.