For decades, the word “sustainable" has been overused in marketing. It’s easy to be skeptical.
When it comes to diamonds, many people still view the lab-grown option as a “nice-to-have" alternative. A good choice if you want to save a little money or feel a bit more ethical.
In the face of a worsening climate crisis, this view is now obsolete.
Choosing a lab-grown diamond is no longer just a “nice" choice. It is the necessary choice. This is not an alternative; it is the successor.
You don’t have to take our word for it. The data is overwhelming. A foundational analysis by the independent research firm Frost & Sullivan compared the full impact of mined versus lab-grown diamonds.
The conclusion? Mined diamonds inflict over 7 times the total environmental impact of lab-grown diamonds.
But the details are where the real story lies. Prepare yourself.
The Data: A Devastating Contrast (Per Carat)
The Frost & Sullivan report analyzed the full production process, and the numbers are staggering.
- Air Emissions: For every carat produced, a mined diamond generates 1.5 billion times the air emissions of a lab-grown diamond.
- Mineral Waste: For every carat, mining produces over 4,300 times more mineral waste than growing a diamond (2.63 tonnes vs. 0.0006 tonnes).
- Land Disturbed: Mining disturbs over 1,200 times more land per carat than labs.
- Water Usage: Mining consumes almost 7 times more water per carat (126 gallons vs. 18.5 gallons).
But What About the Energy?
This is the most common question, and we believe in transparency. Yes, labs use energy.
But the report confirms that mining still uses more than double the energy of growing (2.1:1 ratio).
More importantly, mining is almost entirely dependent on diesel and fossil fuels. By contrast, the lab-grown industry can be and increasingly is powered by 100% renewable energy. This is a future that mining, with its fleets of heavy-diesel machinery, can never achieve.
The Impact Isn't Just Environmental. It's Human.
The Frost & Sullivan report also measured the direct human cost.
For mined diamonds, the data shows a consistent record of worker harm, measured in “Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate" and “Occupational Disease Rate".
For lab-grown diamonds, the number of incidents across all of these categories was “Nil".
The report describes diamond-growing facilities as safe, clean environments, comparable to the semiconductor industry, with “no life hazards or occupational hazards".
This is the Next Generation
The data is undeniable. The choice is clear.
This is why, at Elvin Jewellery, we believe lab-grown diamonds are not a substitute. They are the successor.
In an age of climate crisis, we can no longer justify the immense environmental and human cost of digging a diamond from the earth when we can create a physically and chemically identical, and often superior, diamond above ground.
As Frost & Sullivan concluded, “Growing diamonds causes significantly less environmental impact as compared to mining diamonds".
This is true sustainable luxury. This is the next-generation diamond.