11 Ethical Engagement Rings For A More Sustainable ‘Yes’
There’s a lot that goes into the decision-making process behind choosing ethical engagement rings—never mind the anxiety of popping the question.
But environmental and societal considerations are often overshadowed by the 4Cs.
Due to the less-than-shiny ethics behind mining diamonds and precious metals, most mainstream jewelry brands are indirectly supporting child labor and environmental degradation.
Fortunately, there are sustainable jewelry brands who sell sustainable diamond rings and wedding rings that are a cut above the rest.
Everything we recommend to you on Sustainable Jungle is independently researched and we ask all brands to confirm their claims. To avoid waste, we test products on an as needed basis. This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a small commission. Learn more about why we do this here.
Say ‘Yes!” To The Best Ethical Engagement Ring Companies
You don’t need to spend a grand amount of money for your grand gesture. Mejuri has affordable ethical engagement rings to show your love just as well.
Meanwhile, Clean Origin makes a sustainable statement with the lab-grown diamonds in their sustainable engagement rings.
If you want to avoid absolutely any form of new diamond acquisitions, the vintage recycled diamond engagement rings from Estate Diamond Rings shine sustainably bright.
Still wondering, “How do I choose an ethical engagement ring?”
We can’t help pick out your special someone’s style, but we can tell what sorts of sustainability things to look for at the end of the article.
The Full List Of The Best Sustainable Engagement Rings
- Brilliant Earth | Visit Store
- Mejuri | Visit Store
- Vintage Rings | Visit Store
- Clean Origin | Visit Store
- Do Amore | Visit Store
- Taylor & Hart | Visit Store
- Catbird | Visit Store
- Ella Stein | Visit Store
- VRAI | Visit Store
- Aurate | Visit Store
- Valley Rose Studio | Visit Store
1. Brilliant Earth
*Sponsored inclusion. Learn more here.
About Brilliant Earth
Price Range: $550–$5,950
Brilliant Earth calls their diamonds Beyond Conflict FreeTM, owing to their stringent sourcing policies and innovative origin-tracing Blockchain technology.
Providing unmatched transparency. You can sift through the diamonds by country of origin, and read the full diamond supply chain report before you commit to the big decision.
Along with pre-made and custom order ethical diamond engagement rings, they also have a shimmering sea of other gemstones.
Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but maybe that’s because they haven’t met this stunning Morganite Freesia Solitaire ring yet.
Brilliant Earth’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Certified by the world’s finest diamond grading laboratories, lab grown or recycled diamonds combined with settings made of mostly recycled metals (98% recycled gold and 97% recycled silver).
That little percent of non-recycled gold is Fairmined certified.
Some of their ethical non-diamond engagement rings and wedding rings feature unique rare metals and stones, including meteorite rings, Tantalum rings, and RMI-certified and conflict-free Tungsten rings.
Supply chain & labor practices:
For this certified member of the Responsible Jewelry Council, Beyond Conflict FreeTM extends to sourcing policies that minimize environmental impact, create safe workspaces, and support community development.
You can see exactly which countries supply their diamonds and gemstones on their sourcing map.
Many gemstone partners, like their sapphire supplier in Sri Lanka, operate in small, cost-sharing cooperatives and employ impact management strategies.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Not only are Brilliant Earth’s rings covered by a lifetime warranty, but all of them do come in a wooden sustainable engagement ring box certified by the FSC.
The brand is certified Carbonfree® through Carbonfund.org’s Tropical Rainforest Conservation project in Brazil.
Find out more information in their Mission Report.
Community & charitable giving:
The Brilliant Earth Foundation supports so many causes—including Pure Earth, Feeding America, Rainforest Alliance, and more.
In 2022 alone, they donated over $518K.
2. Mejuri
About Mejuri
Price Range: $598–$3500
With Mejuri’s affordable ethical engagement rings, your special someone can shine like a responsibly sourced diamond (that doesn’t break the bank).
Known best for their conscious jewelry creations, Mejuri also has a small collection of simple sustainable rings perfect for the minimalist in your life.
This slimmed down recycled gold Diamond Eternity Band is not only classy, but super comfortable—meaning your loved one will never be tempted to take it off when it keeps getting caught on things.
Mejuri’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
To reduce their impact on the environment while still supporting local communities that rely on natural diamond mining, 95% of their products rely on recycled gold, and 5% newly mined 14k and 18k gold.
The newly mined gold is traceable and comes from certified suppliers from internationally recognized standards such as Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC).
Around 92% of their 925 silver pieces are also recycled.
Kimberly compliant diamonds are also used, and all are within GHI color range and SI-I 1-2 clarity.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Their suppliers must uphold the standards outlined by their Social & Environmental Accountability Program, as well as their Code of Conduct.
Both which hold standards for human rights, fair and safe labor practices, environmental practices, and ethical business practices.
The jewelry brand also partners with Business for Social Responsibility.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
We all know about regenerative agriculture, but did you know regenerative mining exists too?
As the exclusive jewelry sector partner of Regeneration, and supporter of the Salmon Gold initiative by RESOLVE, Mejuri actively supports the rehabilitation of legacy mine sites and restorations of surrounding natural environments via earnings from their ethical rings.
As for shipping, they have a polybag recycling program and offset carbon through clean and renewable energy credits.
Community & charitable giving:
Via their Empowerment Fund, the brand has awarded thousands of dollars worth of post-secondary scholarships to BIPOC women and nonbinary individuals.
They’ve also donated $100,000 in corporate gifting to non-profits, including Stop AAPI Hate and The Stonewall Community Foundation.
3. Vintage Rings
About Vintage Rings
Price Range: $135–$45,000
The most conflict-free eco-friendly engagement rings are those that don’t require new materials to be mined: vintage rings.
Not to mention, some of the most unique ethical engagement rings too.
You could always scour these second hand stores for options, but if you don’t strike gold, we have two Etsy creators in mind.
The team at New York based Estate Diamond Jewelry specializes in vintage and antique rings, with over 400 rate and exquisite ethical gemstone engagement rings, from around the world.
Among them are ethical emerald engagement rings, as well as an array of rings banded with sapphire, aquamarine, and other precious gems.
Cypress Creek Vintage also has these things, though they stock more Edwardian and Victorian era pieces, as well as retro and art-deco pieces.
They are one of the few antique shops that accepts returns, making them great for indecisive ring bearers.
Vintage Rings’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Both shops stock authentic gold, silver, and platinum pieces adorned with various ethical gemstones.
Since second hand rings = recycled engagement rings, they don’t require new mining and are more ethical by nature (but by no means perfect, considering they might contain conflict diamonds to begin with).
Supply chain & labor practices:
Items are sourced from numerous places, including auctions, estate sales, and responsible dealers.
Both brands have their own means of authenticating pieces.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Etsy offsets carbon emissions from shipping and packaging.
4. Clean Origin
About Clean Origin
Price Range: $550–$18,745
Have you thought about using science to put your love to the test?
If so, a lab grown ethical engagement ring from Clean Origin might be the perfect ring for you.
No, it’s not just something you give to your AI girlfriend. Lab grown diamonds are just as real as the “real” thing, but so much better, sustainably speaking.
Stylishly speaking, since their lab grown colored diamonds come in several brilliant hues that you can’t normally find in natural diamonds.
Just imagine how unique and beautiful this Fancy Yellow diamond would look on a fairmined gold wedding band.
Clean Origin’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Clean Origin designs custom rings in rose gold, yellow gold, white gold, or platinum—all recycled and topped with a lab-grown diamond.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Since the fine jewelry brand uses exclusively lab grown diamonds and recycled metals and gold certified by The Responsible Jewellery Council, they aren’t supporting any further unethical mining practices (A.K.A. dirty origins.)
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Many of Clean Origin’s diamond labs use carbon offset programs, and they use recycled paper to ship online ethical engagement ring orders.
5. Do Amore
About Do Amore
Price Range: $480–$2,080
Do Amore for your loved ones by designing their very own custom ethical engagement ring (with the help of their design team.)
The experienced team will take your vision, and turn it into a 3D rendered ring for you to approve.
After approving of the 3D rendering and making necessary changes, your creation will arrive in 2 to 3 weeks.
It’s as easy as saying ‘I do’!
If you’d rather be saying it sooner than later, they have plenty of stunning sustainable diamond engagement rings in their ready-to-ship collection.
We can practically hear the wedding bells now with this lab-grown diamond Sophie Cushion Engagement Ring, completely with a cluster of pavé side stones.
Do Amore’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Members of the No Dirty Gold campaign, they offer only recycled metal engagement rings.
They use sustainably sourced diamonds, though they offer recycled and lab-created diamonds and gemstones too.
Supply chain & labor practices:
The primary suppliers of their ethical diamonds source from responsible Canadian mines, as their labor practices are some of the strictest in the world.
Some diamonds are also sourced from mines in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. To make sure they are conflict-free diamonds, they come with a blockchain ledger.
All diamonds are cut in India before the custom rings are finished in the U.S.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Their sustainable ring boxes are made from sustainable woods found in New Zealand and Australia.
Carbon offsets are purchased for all manufacturing and shipment impacts.
Community & charitable giving:
The sustainable jewelry brand is cleaning up the industry by providing access to clean water to areas in need.
They drill water wells and educate the community on proper water health and sanitation.
Each socially conscious ring purchase includes GPS coordinates of the precise well and community your contribution supports.
*Purchase an engagement ring here and receieved $250 off your order.
6. Taylor & Hart
About Taylor & Hart
Price Range: $875–$15,195
Taylor & Hart makes some of the best ethical diamond rings among those that contain mined diamonds.
Having grown up in South Africa, the founders have an intimate knowledge of the blood diamond industry in neighboring Zimbabwe.
They offer everything from vintage to completely custom ethical engagement rings.
The nature-inspired fern details and star set in their Eclipse makes the unique eco-friendly engagement ring unlike any others we have seen.
Taylor & Hart’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
T&H uses either recycled or fair trade non-recycled platinum and gold.
Gemstone choices include hand-selected and conflict-free diamonds (GIA-graded for top-tier quality), rubies, emeralds, tourmalines, or sapphires.
They now also offer synthetic sustainable engagement rings featuring diamonds grown in a lab using either high pressure and high temperature or Chemical Vapor Deposition methods.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Their diamond suppliers in Botswana, Russia, and Australia go above and beyond Kimberley Process requirements.
Blockchain technology and a Diamond Time Lapse provides detailed reports on the entire diamond journey, including who planned, cut, and polished it.
They also offer CanadaMark diamonds which ensures responsible mining, for both the environment and people involved.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
All fair trade eco-friendly engagement rings come with a lifetime warranty, complimentary annual aftercare, resizing, and a 90-day return policy.
The brand is making the switch to green energy lab grown diamonds in the coming years.
7. Catbird
About Catbird
Price Range: $294–$22,400
Bespoke brand Catbird started in a “cheap, busted storefront” that mostly sold clothes, elbow patches, and pretty ribbons.
Strange beginnings aside, their champagne diamonds in unique and complex settings will certainly make an impression (regardless of their answer!).
As well as in-house designs, this woman-owned conscious jewelry brand offers the top sustainable engagement rings and wedding rings from other designers too.
You’ll find unusual offerings like this charismatic Adorned Hands Diamond Heart Ring.
Catbird’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Catbird’s sustainable materials consist of recycled or Fair Trade gold and conflict free stones.
Their ethical diamond rings do better than the Kimberley Process and are either guaranteed conflict-free, lab-grown, or recycled.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Joining other artisan jewelry brands, Catbird is a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America and No Dirty Gold.
Their pearl pieces feature pearls from a third-generation clean-water practice farm in Hubei Province in China.
All studio workers benefit from safe and comfortable working conditions, generous employee benefits, professional development opportunities, fair pay, and team lunch every day.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Since the Catbird jewelry studio, shipping warehouse, and office share the same space, their carbon footprint is small.
Community & charitable giving:
Catbird has contributed over $1 million to their Catbird Giving Fund, which supports organizations like Black Lives Matter, Planned Parenthood, and the ACLU.
8. Ella Stein
About Ella Stein
Price Range: $49–$395
“Real. Raw. Radiant”.
Sounds expensive, but fear not, Ella Stein won’t burn a 10-carat-sized hole in your sustainable wallet.
With most prices pitched under $100, these ethical affordable engagement rings are designed to be inclusive, steering away from the expectation that you spend several pay checks on a ring.
If you can’t match the price tag but still want those vintage vibes, this is one of those recycled engagement rings that fits the bill.
Ella Stein’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Each affordable sustainable engagement ring features a band and setting made of 100% recycled sterling silver, either kept as sterling silver or plated with 14k gold.
Their VS1 colorless diamonds are real, conflict-free, Kimberley Process compliant, and Responsible Jewelry Council Certified.
Supply chain & labor practices:
All jewelry is ethically handcrafted by a team of mostly women in Mumbai, India.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
When rough diamonds are cut for rings, up to 60% may be trimmed and thrown away. Ella Stein takes these scraps and turns them into petite bling.
Products are packed and shipped in reusable, recycled materials.
9. VRAI
About VRAI
Price Range: $600–$3,150
VRAI means truth in French, as reflected in the brand’s commitment to transparency and use of Certified Carbon Neutral diamonds.
From classic white diamonds to ethical black diamond engagement rings, VRAI is proposal-worthy to say the least.
In fact, we find it hard to believe that anyone has said ‘no’ to the Halo Pear Engagement Ring.
VRAI’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
They offer both white and black lab grown diamonds in various stone sizes and cuts.
For settings, they use recycled white, yellow, and pink gold, as well as platinum.
Supply chain & labor practices:
VRAI’s diamonds are grown with 100% hydropower in a zero-emissions foundry in the Pacific Northwest.
Their Diamond Foundry is backed by the Blood Diamond star himself— Leonardo DiCaprio.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Of all the ethical diamond companies out there, VRAI was the first zero-emissions diamond producer.
Every carat they produce saves 143 pounds of carbon dioxide, 2,011 ounces of air pollution, and 250 tons of earth.
Manufacturing, production, shipping, and even business travel are all carbon offset via credits supporting solar and wind power in China and India.
They send their ethically sourced rings in recyclable and compostable packaging and their diamonds are backed by a lifetime warranty.
Community & charitable giving:
VRAI has donated to multiple give-back partners over the years, including No Kid Hungry, Equality Now, and the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
10. Aurate
About Aurate
Price Range: $290–$75,000
Let’s take a journey back to high school chemistry—remember AU?
It’s the chemical symbol for gold, which is what Aurate’s recycled gold engagement rings are all about.
Their golden conflict-free diamond studs and novel eye-catching designs are something out of a fairytale.
In fact, we’re still not sure if Aladdin really wanted to show Jasmine the world, or if he was referring to this Round Tri-Diamond Ring when he said “shining, shimmering, splendid”.
Aurate’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Their minimalist ethical engagement rings only use 100% recycled gold.
They track every single diamond and gemstone to ensure mining strictly adheres to the Kimberley Process.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Saying “yes” to both recycled engagement rings and an ethical supply chain, Aurate only works with mines that ensure safe working conditions, fair pay, and respect for local and indigenous communities.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Aurate keeps non-mining operations local by manufacturing in NYC and recycles any excess materials.
They also design their jewelry with longevity in mind—that ring can be used to pop the same question for generations.
Community & charitable giving:
They regularly contribute to a local organization that supports literacy and for every purchase, Aurate donates a book.
11. Valley Rose Studio
About Valley Rose Studio
Price Range: $1,000–$3,000
Valley Rose Studio takes inspiration from nature and the cosmos to craft their eco-friendly diamond engagement rings.
Traditional techniques like lost wax casting with cast-in-place gemstones reveal an earthy, organic sheen.
Their ethical sapphire engagement rings are a sure fire way to that eco-friendly someone’s heart.
With blossoming jewel-toned gemstones and lab grown diamonds, this earth-friendly engagement ring is green in more ways than one.
Valley Rose Studio’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Gemstones include lab-grown, certified recycled, and artisan mined diamonds, ethically sourced Montana and Australian sapphires, rubies, and opals.
Their lab created diamonds are made from WD Diamonds, the first sustainably-rated and carbon neutral diamond lab. SCS Global Service audits them for ethical and sustainable practices.
Settings for these fair trade engagement rings consist of 14k rose or yellow gold, which is 100% Fairmined from artisanal mines.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Any new natural diamonds come from small-scale and artisanal miners, who receive additional funds for community and lifestyle betterment.
Source Certain International spectrometry technology ensures each diamond is traceable to its source.
Each socially conscious engagement ring is made in California.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Each of their ethical gemstone engagement rings or diamond rings are backed by a lifetime warranty.
Shipping packaging consists of compostable, post-consumer materials. The ring boxes feature a polyester suede lining but are designed to be reused for storage.
Community & charitable giving:
For every sustainable engagement ring purchase, one tree is planted via One Tree Planted.
Another 1% is donated to Gem Legacy, a non-profit that supports vulnerable global gemstone mining communities.
Other organizations they support on a rotating basis involve BIPOC rights, women’s rights, animal rights, and environmental protection.
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Why Choose An Ethical & Sustainable Engagement Ring?
The planet sure won’t be happy with your proposal if those two carats required the displacement of 250 tons of earth to mine per carat of diamond.
Add in the air pollution, water contamination, greenhouse gasses, biodiversity loss, and just plain waste associated with moving earth for gemstones and precious metals… suddenly that ring is no bling.
The diamond industry is also (unsurprisingly) a dangerous place to work, shown by the 20% increase in mortality rate among South African diamond miners. Some of whom are part of the 1 million children estimated to work in mining operations.
And, that’s without mentioning conflict diamonds and precious metal industries are also heavily linked to violent conflict and sexual violence in many diamond producing countries.
That’s why it’s also critical to actively seek conflict-free stones in these ethically and environmentally friendly engagement rings.
How We Found The Most Ethical Engagement Rings
What is an ethical engagement ring?
The considerations that go into sustainable and ethical jewelry are extra tricky because of the lack of traceability that plagues the mineral mining industry.
From the most minimalist jewelry brands to those offering jaw-dropping huge settings, we look at the following:
Materials:
What is the most ethical ring material?
When it comes to engagement rings, ethical diamonds and metals first and foremost mean that they don’t require any new potential labor abuses.
That’s why we say “yes” to fair trade or recycled metals (gold, silver, platinum, palladium) along with vintage, recycled, repurposed, lab-grown diamond, or conflict-free ethical gemstone engagement rings.
Though we didn’t leave out brands offering natural ethical engagement rings using mined diamonds, we did treat them with extra scrutiny in terms of sourcing of mining practices.
Supply chain & labor practices:
What makes ethically-sourced engagement rings ethical is a supply chain with just as much clarity as the rocks in them.
This means safe and fair working conditions, employee benefits, fair pay, and opportunities for professional development (for suppliers of both natural and lab grown diamonds.)
We’re excited to see brands show off the sustainability certifications that back up their supply chain transparency and conflict free sourcing.
The Kimberley Process serves as a good baseline for ethical diamonds, but it excludes smaller, artisanal mines that utilize sustainable practices but can’t afford the certification.
- Certifications: Kimberley Process, No Dirty Gold, International Gemological Institute (IGI), Gem Certification and Assurance Lab, American Gem Trade Association, Council of Fashion Designers for America (CFDA), Source Certain International (SCI), Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI), Certified B Corporation, and Fair Trade
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Our eyes light up when wedding bands are produced with practices that use renewable energy, repurpose/recycle resources, rely on primitive mining equipment, and avoid chemical mining processes.
Since diamonds are forever, we love lifetime warranties ensuring they truly will be.
Community & charitable giving:
We look for ethical rings that come from brands that support their local/global community with initiatives like tree planting or donating to negatively impacted mining communities and do-good charities.
Final Thoughts On Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Engagement Rings
Choosing a ring should be like choosing someone with whom we want to spend the rest of our life: not a decision taken lightly.
May we all say “yes” to increasing awareness around environmental and ethical concerns in the jewelry industry.
Now that the ethical engagement ring is covered, it’s time to start searching for you to start searching for the perfect eco-friendly wedding rings and wedding bands.
While we aren’t expecting any eco-friendly wedding invitations, we would greatly appreciate it if you shared this article with those friends and family that will receive them.
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