Portland is a city that cares about sustainability. Most Rose City residents do their part by recycling, avoiding fast fashion, and eating ethically sourced foods. These daily choices go a long way to save the planet and uphold human rights. But what about the things you don’t do every day, like buying an engagement ring?
The market for unethically sourced jewelry hurts workers and the environment. Buying sustainable jewelry is the right thing to do, and you don’t have to sacrifice quality or style in the process. Malka Diamonds only offers ethically sourced diamonds – both natural and lab-grown. All of our rings and other jewelry are created using ethical, sustainable practices.
You and your soon-to-be fiancé deserve a one-of-a-kind ring that’s both beautiful and ethical. Keep reading for our guide to finding a stunning, sustainable diamond ring for your special someone!
Diamonds for a new generation
A diamond engagement ring has always been a gift of love. Unfortunately, the diamond industry hasn’t always lived up to the values of beauty, commitment, and devotion it promises to its customers.
Behind those beautiful “I do” moments, the mining industry around the world has too often created poor working conditions and taken a substantial toll on the environment. But things are
finally changing, and that’s because people are realizing the importance of living ethically. The millennial generation is more focused on sustainability than previous generations, and they want to propose to their loved ones with ethically sourced diamond rings.
Not all jewelers are equally committed to this new sustainable future. It’s important to do your research and make sure you buy from a diamond company that does their due diligence to ensure every step of their supply chain is ethical.
How to make sure you buy a sustainable engagement ring
1. Look for the words “conflict-free”
When looking for an ethical diamond ring for your proposal, look for a jeweler who is committed to conflict-free diamonds. A “conflict-free” diamond is one that does not finance violence and civil wars. This is the most basic standard of ethics and sustainability in the diamond industry.
At Malka Diamonds, our clients can have peace of mind knowing that all our natural diamonds are conflict-free and obtained through UN-approved distribution channels which adhere to the Kimberley Process (KP) Certification standards.
2. Ask lots of questions
As you search for the perfect ring for your beloved or create a one-of-a-kind custom engagement ring, you’ll learn all about things like style, setting, stone shape, carat, cut, and clarity. You should also take the opportunity to learn about where the diamonds come from and how they’re mined or grown in the lab.
Here are a few simple questions you can ask that will tell you a lot about a jeweler’s ethical practices:
- Are your sources making efforts to reduce their carbon footprint?
- Do the players in your supply chain provide fair pay and safe working conditions?
3. Consider buying a lab-grown diamond
As you search for the perfect engagement ring, you may have noticed that there is a distinction between natural vs. lab-grown diamonds.
Earth-mined diamonds naturally form over millions of years in the extremely high temperature and pressure conditions in the Earth’s mantle. Lab-grown diamonds, on the other hand, are created in a laboratory.
Choosing a lab-grown diamond for an engagement ring is an excellent choice if you want to be sure the ring is as ethical and sustainable as possible. That’s because lab-grown diamonds don’t involve any earth mining at all and are often created locally.
You don’t have to sacrifice style either. Lab-grown diamonds are made from the same material as natural diamonds. Therefore, they exhibit the same appearance and chemical properties.
Choose from local, sustainable natural & lab-grown diamond engagement rings (or create your own) at Malka Diamonds!
Malka Diamonds is a local jewelry store situated in the heart of Portland’s Pearl District. Like most of us in the Rose City, we’re all about creating a better and more sustainable future. We’re proud to offer ethically-sourced and conflict-free natural and lab-grown diamonds.
All of our natural diamonds are obtained through UN-approved distribution channels to ensure we only offer conflict-free, Earth-mined diamonds. We also offer a large selection of lab-grown diamonds. Whether you choose a natural or lab-grown diamond, when you shop with Malka, you can rest assured that the ring you propose with was sourced ethically.
Give us a call at (503) 222-5205 or book your in-person or virtual consultation online today, and take a look at our collections or create your own beautiful custom ring. We’re happy to answer any questions you have and we look forward to working with you!