--- description: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news. title: Friendly Diamonds: American Consumers and the Evolving Relation With the Concept of Ethical Sourcing image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt94155321293fb27e/6a4b5222a2341900ced4698c/534273F3F9674B8DB69F1184F112E36E.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 --- # Friendly Diamonds: American Consumers and the Evolving Relation With the Concept of Ethical Sourcing  The relationship between businesses and their audiences has rarely ever stayed the same. Over the last few decades, the world has become much more sensitive. With growing discussions around subjects like sustainability, integrity, and authenticity, especially among younger generations, these concerns have also bled into business and entrepreneurship. Business-customer relationships and customer perceptions look different today. Fifty years ago, most businesses had to do little more than deliver a quality product to keep their customers happy. However, to the modern consumer, the entire value chain that contributed to the end product is what validates or nullifies it. American consumers want to know where a product was made, the companies involved, the materials used, how they were sourced, if the workers were treated fairly and compensated appropriately, and much more. This emergence of consumer activism continues to compel more businesses to remodel their strategies to align with ethical sourcing standards. Ayushi Mehta, an ethical sourcing subject matter expert and co-founder of [eco-friendly lab diamond jewelry](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4&ntv%5Fui=dbf2a557-13d2-46da-bf51-1c40dc213256&ntv%5Fa=a40JAOwJtA9k0PA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYFs21hrFiOrNUQQMKMOTxOglxKllVdADLPFK7d0TrqDAR2ayio25F2eQ2AEh%5F5ys6lSzyfMDFQA3MlonQ2OXxr9F%5FZRA15MutvOQhuqHXr6uroEMnz4OP8cYlnUoCdtZJuaMopMaiKYsJAUSFbdIOcboT8EGG%5FM9IxLOt0rK4QWigdEJxjf9fGmv%5FGqoPhX8zapACglsMRoWtsBIzLhQTmZG0a8rH6mOJZBuUAFAM6%5FuWEwEQusfhFddJI4Kzvphv6IjI1TfVfUCIVLmineLgENA1HP4xXtXL1Y6FLWTUZI4Zo5HZhYZ2sXi7Rj993kmJ93IodqU-CPscDCzBvKS2VuxfL4iDdlpFsFyLeIUXKDRU9zx6yMZMjeQAORso22h7tXUC9SyfgovE7elyWPdNBS792gTNb8Jd-ETyLYPWhREkymlMp1GHyB1NrE1lmTmULkpe0Uvc3sqtwUntgksAvPhWTSAAo2KxpAI7DgQsxa0wzvNX0yduoSLC9hwfqyLcAtrWKhySqrGUyaF5qW0rv8=&ord=2118778476&ntv%5Fht=nyAIagA&prx%5Fr=https://friendlydiamonds.com/diamond-jewelry "undefined") brand Friendly Diamonds, writes here about the ethical sourcing movement and how it is forging a new path of sustainability and environmental responsibility for businesses while helping them step up their games. **Ethical sourcing and the conception of quality** The entire thrust of ethical sourcing is a concept that demands businesses seek alternatives to their products or components if any part of the materials sourcing or supply chain for said product is unethical and harmful to people or the environment. Simply put, ethical sourcing demands product quality as long as the process is clean and ethical. In the face of the growing adoption of ethical sourcing standards, there's still a long-standing belief that sections of American consumers have a misconception that ethically sourced materials often have a different quality or prestige than their more naturally sourced counterparts. This debate has been around for a while, especially in luxury industries like the diamond market. Ayushi Mehta revealed how she dealt with this misconception in the early days of launching Friendly Diamonds. "Things have improved a lot since 2019, but it took a lot of patience and investment to re-educate our audience. We quickly won people over when they realized they could own their stunning diamond collection at a cost-effective budget without skimping on quality and with a conscious approach to the environment." Ayushi's assertion that it'll take patience and continuous investment in re-educating the industry's consumer class is a sentiment shared by other experts in the field, and for obvious reasons. For one, lab diamonds are reported to have precisely the same chemical and physical composition as naturally sourced diamonds; they are tough and scratch-resistant, too; they're stunning to look at, and whatever minute differences there are are indiscernible to the human eye. But the co-founder admits there's still work to be done to widen the acceptance of [lab diamonds](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4&ntv%5Fui=dbf2a557-13d2-46da-bf51-1c40dc213256&ntv%5Fa=a40JAOwJtA9k0PA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYFs21hrFiOrNUQQMKMOTxOglxKllVdADLPFK7d0TrqDAR2ayio25F2eQ2AEh%5F5ys6lSzyfMDFQA3MlonQ2OXxr9F%5FZRA15MutvOQhuqHXr6uroEMnz4OP8cYlnUoCdtZJuaMopMaiKYsJAUSFbdIOcboT8EGG%5FM9IxLOt0rK4QWigdEJxjf9fGmv%5FGqoPhX8zapACglsMRoWtsBIzLhQTmZG0a8rH6mOJZBuUAFAM6%5FuWEwEQusfhFddJI4Kzvphv6IjI1TfVfUCIVLmineLgENA1HP4xXtXL1Y6FLWTUZI4Zo5HZhYZ2sXi7Rj993kmJ93IodqU-CPscDCzBvKS2VuxfL4iDdlpFsFyLeIUXKDRU9zx6yMZMjeQAORso22h7tXUC9SyfgovE7elyWPdNBS792gTNb8Jd-ETyLYPWhREkymlMp1GHyB1NrE1lmTmULkpe0Uvc3sqtwUntgksAvPhWTSAAo2KxpAI7DgQsxa0wzvNX0yduoSLC9hwfqyLcAtrWKhySqrGUyaF5qW0rv8=&ord=2118778476&ntv%5Fht=nyAIagA&prx%5Fr=https://friendlydiamonds.com/lab-diamonds "undefined"). **The economic value of ethical sourcing** Beyond the environmental benefits, ethical sourcing also has an economic slant. This contradicts traditional business wisdom, which posits a dichotomy between operating ethically and profitably. Ayushi strongly asserts that this thinking is wrong. "The stats support the fact that businesses can and do operate profitably without deploying any underhanded or unethical tactics. And the biggest proof for me is the testimony of how we started and grew Friendly Diamonds, recording a profit in a few short years and expanding our clientele while staying committed to our strong ethical stance." Ayushi’s Friendly Diamonds provides customized high-end but affordable jewelry and [engagement rings made with exquisite lab-grown diamonds](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4&ntv%5Fui=dbf2a557-13d2-46da-bf51-1c40dc213256&ntv%5Fa=a40JAOwJtA9k0PA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYFs21hrFiOrNUQQMKMOTxOglxKllVdADLPFK7d0TrqDAR2ayio25F2eQ2AEh%5F5ys6lSzyfMDFQA3MlonQ2OXxr9F%5FZRA15MutvOQhuqHXr6uroEMnz4OP8cYlnUoCdtZJuaMopMaiKYsJAUSFbdIOcboT8EGG%5FM9IxLOt0rK4QWigdEJxjf9fGmv%5FGqoPhX8zapACglsMRoWtsBIzLhQTmZG0a8rH6mOJZBuUAFAM6%5FuWEwEQusfhFddJI4Kzvphv6IjI1TfVfUCIVLmineLgENA1HP4xXtXL1Y6FLWTUZI4Zo5HZhYZ2sXi7Rj993kmJ93IodqU-CPscDCzBvKS2VuxfL4iDdlpFsFyLeIUXKDRU9zx6yMZMjeQAORso22h7tXUC9SyfgovE7elyWPdNBS792gTNb8Jd-ETyLYPWhREkymlMp1GHyB1NrE1lmTmULkpe0Uvc3sqtwUntgksAvPhWTSAAo2KxpAI7DgQsxa0wzvNX0yduoSLC9hwfqyLcAtrWKhySqrGUyaF5qW0rv8=&ord=2118778476&ntv%5Fht=nyAIagA&prx%5Fr=https://friendlydiamonds.com/engagement-rings "undefined"). This is a testament to the benefits of the confluence of ethical products and affordable prices. Their drive is to bring meaningful luxury products to value-driven consumers so they can tell their stories while protecting the planet. The brand has since been featured in several high-profile publications as a top-tier ethical jewelry brand, and they are currently looking to expand their offerings to other cultural landscapes. ++++++++ Friendly Diamonds' community-focused approach to educating their audience while proving their teaching by delivering personalized high-end products that align with their ethical practices and sustainability values strives to be an inspirational model for other brands to follow. The winds of change seem to be blowing as the benefits of ethical sourcing become increasingly evident. In time, it could be the selling point to help brands stand out, like [Friendly Diamonds](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4&ntv%5Fui=dbf2a557-13d2-46da-bf51-1c40dc213256&ntv%5Fa=a40JAOwJtA9k0PA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYFs21hrFiOrNUQQMKMOTxOglxKllVdADLPFK7d0TrqDAR2ayio25F2eQ2AEh%5F5ys6lSzyfMDFQA3MlonQ2OXxr9F%5FZRA15MutvOQhuqHXr6uroEMnz4OP8cYlnUoCdtZJuaMopMaiKYsJAUSFbdIOcboT8EGG%5FM9IxLOt0rK4QWigdEJxjf9fGmv%5FGqoPhX8zapACglsMRoWtsBIzLhQTmZG0a8rH6mOJZBuUAFAM6%5FuWEwEQusfhFddJI4Kzvphv6IjI1TfVfUCIVLmineLgENA1HP4xXtXL1Y6FLWTUZI4Zo5HZhYZ2sXi7Rj993kmJ93IodqU-CPscDCzBvKS2VuxfL4iDdlpFsFyLeIUXKDRU9zx6yMZMjeQAORso22h7tXUC9SyfgovE7elyWPdNBS792gTNb8Jd-ETyLYPWhREkymlMp1GHyB1NrE1lmTmULkpe0Uvc3sqtwUntgksAvPhWTSAAo2KxpAI7DgQsxa0wzvNX0yduoSLC9hwfqyLcAtrWKhySqrGUyaF5qW0rv8=&ord=2118778476&ntv%5Fht=nyAIagA&prx%5Fr=https://friendlydiamonds.com "undefined"), in a world where ethically sourced products are not yet mainstream. 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