Pandora and Diamonds: The Beauty of Sustainability
In the fashion industry, being unique is what everyone certainly aims for. Whether it regards clothing or accessories, everyone wants to make a statement that stands out in a crowd. Pandora, a very known and high-quality jewelry business certainly knows this; With their handcrafted jewelry, Pandora has made commonly produced pieces to be made unique by the consumer itself. With their wide selection of rings, necklaces and bracelets as well as their charms, the consumer is the one who decides how bright their own personality is reflected through the high quality yet affordable accessories they buy.
The construction of the most beautiful jewelry from Pandora is carefully thought and made, especially when it comes to the quality of their products. Certainly, the broad catalog of magnificent pieces by Pandora shines brightly in a crowd, and I mean this in a literal way because Pandora has been known to use incredibly beautiful and vibrant diamonds with their pieces. While these diamonds can be pointed out in a crowd due to their resplandescent beauty, the process behind the mining of diamonds is a much darker one.
BrilliantEarth explains that “Hundreds of thousands of miners lack basic necessities such as running water and sanitation. Hunger, illiteracy and infant mortality are commonplace.” Even in developing countries, diamond miners are submerged in a world of poverty. Many work and labor standards are not enforced which is why many miner’s conditions remain the same. Aside from low pay and terrible working conditions, many miners risk and lose their lives during the process due to a lack of basic necessities and lack of modern tools and other equipment.
BrilliantEarth explains that “Hundreds of thousands of miners lack basic necessities such as running water and sanitation. Hunger, illiteracy and infant mortality are commonplace.” (LifeWithLibby)
However, these are not the only causes; diamond mines are rarely regulated regarding safety measures which have caused severe injuries to minors as well as landslides and even tragic accidents due to diamond mines collapsing. Child Labor is often very common in the mining processes. Many of the children working in these mines are recruited and abused due to their condition of living. Children in underdeveloped countries and in some developing countries are often the only sources of income, which is why families are unfortunately forced to send them to work.
Due to their necessity, children work in these mines in very dangerous and inhumane conditions. The amount of work that is exploited from them leads children to be more vulnerable and prone to worsening health conditions and the risk of suffering severe and fatal injuries during the mining process. This leaves us as consumers to wonder…. Is a mined diamond worth the price of a life? Is there a real solution to this negligence? Perhaps. While miners need the income to provide for their needs, companies are opting for more sustainable production to lower the extremely high demand for mined diamonds.
This is what Pandora has been opting for. Pandora announced that their products will no longer use mined diamonds and instead will produce laboratory-made diamonds. The biggest reason for this is certainly for sustainability and overall ethical reasons. Not only that but the prices will differ and become more accessible and cheaper for their consumers. However, some consumers have felt as though the quality of their diamonds will decrease if they are manmade rather than mined from nature. That is why it is important to understand the process of lab-created labs, so what is it exactly? Brilliant Earth explains that “lab-created diamonds are grown from the tiny carbon diamond seeds of pre-existing diamonds. Advanced technology — either extreme pressure and heat or a special deposition process known as CVD — mimics the method of natural diamond formation”.
The optical view and feel of mined and lab-made diamonds don't have a difference, and the only way to view these differences would be by using specialized equipment to trace differences in elements and crystal growth (BrilliantEarth) So while consumers may worry about the quality of their accessories, BrilliantEarth assures that mined and lab-made diamond differences in quality are not too large, however, consumers should know that the biggest difference between both diamonds is that the cost of production didn’t have to be paid by mine workers and their wellbeing. Pandora wants to set an example of sustainability for future generations. Pandora Chief Mr. Lacik says "We want to become a low-carbon business. I have four children, I'm leaving this earth one day, I hope I can leave it in a better shape than maybe what we've kind of created in the last 50 years or so." (BBC).
This is a very meaningful quote for us as consumers to consider — the more sustainable that we are in our present time, the better the conditions that our environments and future generations will be entrusted with. If we can plant a small seed for a world with more humane and eco-friendly conditions, then our future generations will have the chance to live in a brighter and better world. Change can be small but meaningful, and Pandora has shown this by changing their products using mined diamonds and replacing them with lab-grown diamonds. It is a change that in the long run will be more sustainable and very meaningful.
