Creating lab-grown diamonds in a solar-powered facility

An Israeli company is making diamonds more sustainable as well as more ethical

Spotted: The diamond industry has long been associated with luxury and wealth, but there is a dark side to the diamond trade that continues to be overlooked. Diamond mining can have a number of negative social impacts, including poor working conditions, child labour, and environmental damage. Africa is home to some of the worst working conditions in the diamond industry, with miners often working long hours for very little pay. In fact, some workers are paid as little as €1 per day. Children are also commonly forced into labour in Africa’s diamond mines. Not only is this extremely exploitative, but it also puts them at risk of injury or even death.

Fortunately, there is an alternative to earth-mined diamonds that does not support these unethical practices: lab-grown diamonds. Lab-grown diamonds are identical to earth-mined diamonds, except that they are grown in a lab using advanced technological methods. Among the companies leading the way in lab-grown diamonds is Israel’s LUSIX. The company is leading sustainability in the sector having invested in fully solar-powered diamond growing facilities.

LUSIX produces diamonds that are chemically, physically, and optically identical to mined diamonds, but are produced using advanced laboratory technologies. LUSIX is unique in its ability to grow rough diamonds with a custom shape as well as a custom colour.

LUSIX recently raised $90 million (around €88.6 million) in an investment round with contributions from LVMH Luxury Ventures, Ragnar Crossover Fund, and others. The new investment will be used on developing new innovative technologies to further improve the quality and variety of their products as well as the construction of a second 100 per cent solar-powered state-of-the-art facility in Israel.

As consumers become more aware of the ethical and environmental impacts of their purchases, Springwise has spotted a number of innovations looking at diamonds. For example, Los Angeles-based jewellery designer Baylee Zwart has developed a line of jewellery consisting of diamonds responsibly sourced from the ocean.