Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but they’re not necessarily so friendly for the planet. Just like gold, the extraction of these precious stones requires the use of harmful and polluting products, and the consumption of thousands of litres of water.

In light of this, many in the sector are turning to recycling, or even upcycling – two processes used in the ready-to-wear industry – to craft entire collections of jewellery with a reduced impact on the environment.

One such brand is PDPAOLA, which has unveiled its first collection of sustainable fine jewellery using fully recycled 18k gold and lab-grown diamonds obtained without mining.

This allows the company to reduce its impact on the environment. While based on traditional handcrafted manufacturing, the jewellery line is no less trendy with its letter necklaces and sleek, minimalist creations.

PDPAOLA claims that with these designs, the brand is rethinking what it means to be a woman today, while reinforcing its aspiration to become more environmentally and socially responsible.

Exclusively available online for the moment, the collection is priced from €100 to €1,400 (RM500 to RM7,000).

PDPAOLA is not alone in trying to reduce the impact of its business on the planet. Many brands in the industry are committed to more ethical and responsible production which, as in fashion, involves short supply chains, improved working conditions, greater transparency, and the reuse of precious stones and metals.

The recycling of gold and silver is also proving popular with brands.

JEM, which stands for Jewellery Ethically Minded, is one of the first companies to have adopted an ethical and responsible approach, notably with “Fairmined”-certified ethical gold and synthetic diamonds.

Similarly, the Mamour Paris brand offers creations made by hand in France in an ethical and artisanal way, notably including a whole collection in recycled sterling silver, and a line featuring organic freshwater pearls.