Lab-grown diamonds: a sustainable opportunity for fashion
Lab-grown diamonds are identical to mined ones, but their supply chain makes all the difference: they are created in controlled facilities in just a few weeks instead of being extracted through large-scale mining, eliminating excavation and reliance on conflict zones. This means that while they maintain the same aesthetic and qualitative features (the traditional 4Cs), lab-grown diamonds position themselves as a potentially less harmful option from both environmental and social perspectives.
Lab-grown diamonds offer a more accessible alternative to traditional mined diamonds, for a 1-carat stone of good quality, a lab-grown model might cost around $1,000 USD, while an equivalent mined diamond can reach $4,200 USD. In many cases, the price of a synthetic diamond is between 20-40% of that of a mined one.
Environmental and social impacts
Mining natural diamonds carries a heavy footprint: massive open-pit excavations and up to 160 kg of CO₂ equivalent per carat. Lab-grown production avoids land degradation but can require significant energy: on average, a carat of lab-grown diamond emits about 511 kg CO₂eq if produced with fossil-based electricity. In virtuous cases (for instance, Pandora), the use of renewable energy reduces the footprint to just a few kg per carat. On the social side, mined diamonds have long been associated with conflict financing and human rights violations, risks that lab-grown diamonds - manufactured in controlled environments - completely avoid.
In addition, this innovation promises significant benefits beyond jewellery: the cheaper and more consistent supply of diamonds grown in the lab is enabling the development of advanced machinery and tools that previously relied on natural diamonds, such as high-precision medical cutting instruments, ultra-fine industrial saw blades, and optical or semiconductor devices made with diamond-based components.
Brand examples and applications
Several fashion and jewelry brands are already adopting lab-grown diamonds. LVMH has invested in dedicated facilities, while Pandora and Morellato have launched collections featuring lab-grown gems. In Italy, Fàbera (Florence) produces ethical jewelry in Fairmined 18k gold with IGI and SCS-007 certified lab-grown diamonds. Smaller players like Inbilico (capsule collections with Nove25) explicitly place the “sustainable diamond” at the core of their storytelling. Luxury rings, necklaces, and accessories can thus be enhanced with ethical diamonds, signaling a shift toward sustainable innovation.
Branding, transparency and certifications
To avoid greenwashing, brands rely on transparency and independent verification. Leading gemological institutes (IGI, GIA, HRD) provide certificates of authenticity for lab-grown diamonds as well, confirming purity and carat weight. On the sustainability front, the SCS-007 “Sustainability Rated Diamond Standard” has been described as “the first comprehensive sustainability standard developed for the diamond industry”. It applies to both mined and lab-grown stones, evaluating traceability, renewable energy use, and other ESG criteria across the supply chain. Established retailers (such as Helzberg in the U.S.) are already offering SCS-007 certified collections, signaling to buyers and end consumers a tangible commitment to sustainability.
In conclusion, lab-grown diamonds enable the fashion sector to offer a more responsible form of luxury, maintaining the same quality and value as mined ones. Success, however, depends on transparency: the most credible brands will be those that pair their collections with tangible data, verified traceability, and recognized certifications (such as SCS-007). In this way, lab-grown diamonds can become a concrete resource for sustainable innovation in fashion - without falling into the trap of greenwashing.
BETWEEN RESEARCH is an international agency based in Milan and Shanghai, with over 25 years of experience in headhunting and consultancy. Through its BETWEEN CONSCIOUS PROGRAM, with expert interviews, and in-depth analyses it promotes sustainability and positive change in fashion. We hope these contents will inspire you as they inspired us.
