Valley Rose's Environmental Impact

At Valley Rose we strive to create high quality ethical  jewelry that honors the earth by ensuring people in our supply chain are paid fair livable wages and there is minimal environmental impact with the extraction of our materials and supplies. Our responsibly pieces are made to cherish for lifetimes using the highest quality craftsmanship and materials like fairmined gold and lab diamonds created from air pollution.

Our Gemstones, Traceability, & Assurance

Carbon Capture Lab Diamonds

The only diamonds in the world made entirely from carbon pollution by process of CVD, Chemical Vapor Deposition. The process takes a carbon seed and places it in a chamber the size of an office desk to grow a single diamond layer by layer. A cleaner process than HPHT, carbon capture diamonds are the only lab diamonds that use only pollution derived carbon entirely eliminating the need for mining. Besides being carbon-negative, each carat positively impacts our earth by saving 143 lbs of emissions, 127 gallons of fresh water, and 250 tons of earth, the average natural resource cost of a traditional earth mined diamond. Carbon capture lab diamonds are Certified B corp and are available for any design that uses .25 Cts and over.Learn more here.

Scs-007 rated Lab Diamonds

The world's first 100% climate neutral lab diamond. Our IIA type lab diamonds are exceptionally made in the highest purity by process of CVD, Chemical Vapor Deposition. The process takes a carbon seed and places it in a chamber the size of an office desk to grow a single diamond layer by layer. A cleaner process than HPHT, the carbon seeds still do require mining. These lab diamonds are third party audited by SCS Global Services on a rigorous set of criteria that covers traceable verified origin, ethical stewardship, and carbon emissions. These diamonds are more responsible than the traditional lab diamonds which have been criticized for excessive energy usage. However, earth diamonds still requires significantly more resources.View our certification here.SCS lab diamonds are available for any design that uses .25 Cts and over. Learn more here.

Melee Lab Diamonds

For all our melee sized diamonds, .25 Cts and under, we use HPHT created lab diamonds. These diamonds are made using mined carbon under tremendous pressure using large machines. Traditional lab diamonds have been criticized for energy usage, but when compared to earth mined diamonds they still come out on top with far less water usage, less destruction of habitats, conflict-free, and emmiting less carbon emissions. The current issue with melee sized lab diamonds is that the low market price does not make it economical to produce with the cleaner more sophisticated production methods. We are still on the hunt for a cleaner melee lab diamond and have been putting the pressure on our suppliers to bring one to market.

Salt and Pepper Diamonds

Our Salt & Pepper diamonds come from small scale artisanal mines with known origin. These miners are small businesses where every dollar goes into the hands of supporting these important businesses. There is currently not a 3rd party certification system for Salt and Pepper diamonds. Ours are mined in Africa and are traded directly with the cutting and end sales facility in India. Our salt and pepper diamonds are available for any size style and can also be custom cut in any shape like kite and rose cut.

Recycled Diamonds

Our Recycled SI+ J+ earth mined diamonds come from reputable diamond trading companies that aquire their diamonds from dead stock, and trade ins of pre-used jewelry. These diamonds are verified earth mined but cannot be guaranteed traceable. Our recycled diamonds are available to choose for any design, of any size. Recycled diamonds should be viewed as a neutral option for diamond jewelry and have the benefits of higher resale value because of their natural geological creation story.

Sapphires

Our Sapphires come from small scale artisanal miners and  small businesses that are fully traceable and low environmental impact. There is currently not a 3rd party certification system for Sapphires but we guarantee that for our Australian and Montana Sapphires we buy direct from miner and cutter making them a beautiful low impact option for fine jewelry.

Why We Go Beyond The Kimberly Process Conflict-Free Certification

Conflict-free is a term that only covers diamonds that are not used to finance a war against a recognized government. However, there are many other issues that plague the diamond industry like slavery, forced labor, dangerous working conditions, child labor, and environmental damage. So even if a diamond is conflict-free it is ignoring all the other issues that need to be addressed. The supply chain has a lot of bad actors making the Kimberly Process vulnerable to corruption. It is because of this we go beyond the Kimberly Process for our diamonds with options like carbon negative Lab Grown Diamonds, Canadian Diamonds, Recycled Diamonds and Artisanally Mined Gemstones with known origin.

Our Gold, Traceability, & Assurance

Certified Fairmined Gold: An Active Force for Good

Our Fairmined Gold is the leading industry ethical gold choice. our gold is only from responsible Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM). It is backed by a rigorous 3rd party certification and audit system that ensures that small entrepreneurial mining communities meet world leading standards for responsible practices. The supply chain is traceable through Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM) and SCS Global Services. Fairmined transforms mining into an active force for good, delivering social development and environmental protection, providing everyone with a source of gold they can be proud of. Every piece in our collection is cast in 100% Fairmined gold. The components of our jewelry that aren't available in fairmined like earring posts and earring backs are made from conventional gold or certified recycled gold whenever possible. Overall our collection is made from 95% or more Fairmined gold. View our Fairmined license here.

View Our Fairmined License

Fairmined Case Study: Brining Hope to an Industry Marred by Violence

Buying fairmined gold helps to invest in the social and economic development of miners, their families, workers and the community. The Iquira Municipality Agro-Mineral Cooperative (Cooperativa Multiactiva Agrominera del Municipio de Iquira) are a model example of how coffee, plantain, livestock farming and gold mining can coexist sustainably. Gold mining has provided the community with diversified economic alternatives where community members alternate between artisanal mining and farming. Small-scale mining plays an important role in the local community. The 76 miners support approximately 450 people through their work. With increased income thanks to mining, the community has greater opportunities and an amplified long-term business vision. The Cooperative currently employs 76 people (5 women), 31 of which are cooperative members with another 45 contracted workers. The number of workers can fluctuate between 40-60. All the workers have formal contracts including social security and health care insurance and are all from neighboring farming communities, providing important local employment opportunities.

Recycled Gold: Not a Reliable Ethical or Sustainable Solution

While the term "recycled gold" may appear like a sustainable and ethical option for gold jewelry, it actually fails provide a solution for how the majority of the gold in the world is obtained. Recycled gold is not tracebale and there is a high likelyhood that it has been mined in the recent past in a negative way that has been shown to have lasting consequences. Experts in the field have criticized recycled gold as being "Eco Theater" confirming that recycling gold has had zero impact on decreasing or offsetting the current gold mining crisis. Due to its inherent financial value gold will be relentlessly pursued for the foreseeable future. It is because of this fact that makes it critically important to focus our attention to programs like Fairmined or Fairtrade that effectively address a myriad of issues with gold mining.

Sustainability Practices

Reducing Emissions

Our emission reduction programs include using materials that have lower emissions or negative emissions compared to their traditional counterparts for example carbon capture lab diamonds, ASM Sapphires and Fairmined Gold fall into this category. To cover the rest of our emissions for materials and processes that are out of our control we contribute 1% of sales to One Tree Planted.

Hazardous Chemicals

To address hazardous chemicals associated with the production of jewelry we have chosen to commit materials that have a cleaner approach. In the case of gold, the biggest mercury and cyanide polluter especially in waterways, our Certified Farmined gold takes a comprehensive approach to safe chemical handling that is required for all mines under the program. Most if not all of the Farimined mines are located within small towns thus creating a larger incentive to go mercury free in the near future. Chemical contamination has been drastically reduced or even eliminated with fairmined mining program.

Waste Reduction

In an effort to address excess waste in our jewelry business, Valley Rose adopts an on-demand production system to ensure the exact amount of inventory needed. This also allows us to take on common issues like wrong sizing, impulse buys and the need for excessive discounts that drive unnecessary consumption. By promoting responsible consumption we are able to make and efficient inventory and match our customers with their perfect jewelry also minimizing the need for returns and waste. If in the event we have inventory that doesn't find a home we recycle the materials and repurpose into a new design. Fine jewelry has the unique quality where it doesn't have a shelf life and can always be repurposed.

Water Consumption

Water issues in fine jewelry arise in the mining of gold and gemstones. As previously covered all of our materials either have a zero water consumption, or reduced water consumption compared to their traditional counterparts. In the case of carbon capture lab diamonds 127 gallons of fresh water is saved per carat. We also tackle water pollution by using Fairmined gold that has a safe and reduced mercury and cyanide usage and also protects water supplies.

Reducing Plastic Waste

We use recycled post consumer paper or compostable materials for all our packaging including our paper packing tape, recycled chardboard shipping boxes, compostable and plastic-free shipping postage labels, recycled tissue paper, and recycled paper card inserts. Our custom jewelry gift boxes are made of virgin paperboard with polyester suede lining however, they are high quality and are made to save as a storage box. Currently our production volume does not allow us access to more sustainable gift box solutions. We are working on a lower impact solution for our jewelry gift boxes as our production volume increases.

Labor: Wages & Working Conditions

Gold Mining Labor

Fairmined gold workers have the right to organize, gender equality, stable jobs, and healthy and safe working conditions. Miners in the program are paid livable wages and are guaranteed payouts of market premiums compared to traditional mining that pays miners under market value.

Gemstone Mining Labor

Our sapphires and precious gemstones are sourced from small micro businesses that are paid fair living wages. Our artisinal mining partners mine and cut their own stones thefore making them directly sourced. For our third party suppliers they guarentee fair living wages and safe working conditions for the miner and cutters.

Lab Diamond Facilities

Our lab diamond manufacturers for our carbon capture Lab diamonds guarantee livable wages for their employees. Carbon capture lab diamonds are the only B certified diamond corporation. And in the case of SCS diamonds to be considered under the certification employees must be paid living wages.

Gemstone Cutting Labor

The cutting of gemstones is something that is often orverlooked or has some opacity in the supply chain. Majority of gemstones are mined in sites all over the world then sent to India for cutting. Our .25 Ct and up lab diamonds have to have safe and fair working conditions for the gem cutters in order to have their SCS certification and B corp certification. In the case of our sapphires the majority are cut by the miner or in house by the third party resaler. For our salt and pepper diamonds we work directly with the cutting and end sales facility and they have verified that they are a small business free of unethical practices.

Casting & Production Labor

Our jewelry is casted by certified by Fairmined casters in the USA. For the next stage of our jewelry production, our jeweler facility is located in Brooklyn New York and is an immigrant founded family run business. This production facility pays their employees livable wages, practices safe working conditions and also is the first certified Fairmined production facility in the USA.

Fulfillment & Administration Labor

For the customer service, administration and fulfillment, all contractors are paid more than double the minimum wage for the state of California. At this time there is not a need for full time employees and the day to day activities are run by the founder and a part-time fulfillment manager. We also work with remote contractors like CAD designers and website programmers and these members of our team are paid at least double the rate of the minimum wage in their respective countries.

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