An honest
beginning
We are not perfect. We are not pretending to be. Here is where we are today, where we are going, and what we are building toward - openly, without greenwashing.
The truth about jewelry
Jewelry is not a sustainable industry. Not yet. Mining gold leaves scars on the earth. Cutting diamonds uses water and electricity. Shipping packages adds carbon. We will not pretend otherwise.
But we believe the most dangerous brand is the one that hides the truth behind green leaves and pastel words. So we are doing the opposite - publishing exactly what we do today, what we are working on, and what we promise to do tomorrow.
This page will change as we change. Every six months, we update it. If we miss a goal, we say so. If we improve, we say so. Sustainability is a journey, not a sticker.
The honest roadmap
Three time horizons. Real commitments. Public accountability.
What we are already doing
- BIS-hallmarked metals from licensed Indian refineries only
- 100 percent Kimberley Process compliant diamonds (no conflict stones)
- Partnerships only with BIS-licensed karigars (no informal labor)
- Paper-based packaging (no single-use plastic in shipments)
- Lifetime buy-back guarantee on every gold and silver piece
What we are building
- Transition to recycled gold for 50 percent of our gold collection
- Launch lab-grown diamond collection as a sustainable alternative
- FSC-certified rigid box packaging across all tiers
- Karigar dignity audit - publish hourly wage data publicly
- Calculate and publish carbon footprint per order
What we commit to
- 100 percent recycled or responsibly mined gold across all collections
- Carbon-neutral shipping nationwide
- Karigar Welfare Fund - 1 percent of revenue
- Take-back & refurbish program for old pieces
- Third-party ESG audit, publicly published
Materials. People. Planet.
Three pillars. Each measured separately. None more important than the others.
Materials
Every gram of gold, every stone, every gram of silver - traced to a certified source. We will not use what we cannot trace, and we will not hide what we use.
People
No child labor, ever. Fair wages, audited. Karigars treated as artists, not as costs. The hands that make our jewelry deserve to be paid like the masters they are.
Planet
Jewelry has a footprint. We will measure ours, reduce it where we can, and offset what we cannot. Honest carbon numbers, not green logos.
Six promises, in writing
These are not aspirations. These are commitments customers can hold us to.
We will publish honest progress reports
Every six months, we update this page. If we miss a target, we say so. If we beat one, we say so. No selective reporting.
We will not use words we cannot prove
No "eco-friendly," no "green," no "natural" without numbers behind them. If a claim cannot be measured, it does not appear here.
We will take back what we sell
Every Lakhdata Riyan piece comes with a lifetime buy-back option. Old gold returns to new gold. Jewelry should circulate, not accumulate.
We will protect the karigars
No work given to unregistered subcontractors. No child labor, ever, anywhere in our supply chain. When we audit, we publish what we find.
We will offer lab-grown alternatives
By 2027, every diamond design will have a lab-grown equivalent at a lower price point. Sustainability should not be a luxury tax.
We will give back, quietly
A portion of every sale already goes to causes we do not advertise. True daan does not announce itself. We follow Lakhdatar's example.
When we fall short
We will not always hit every milestone. When we miss one, here is what we promise to do.
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Acknowledge it - on this page, in plain language, within 30 days.
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Explain why - the cost, the constraint, the supply chain reason. No vague excuses.
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Re-commit with a new date - or remove the commitment honestly if it's no longer realistic.
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Hear from you - sustainability@lakhdatariyan.com is monitored personally by the founder.
An open conversation
This page is a living document. It grows with us. It records when we succeed - and when we don't.
The most sustainable jewelry is the kind you wear for generations. We are building toward that future, one honest update at a time.
Be part of an honest journey
Every Lakhdata Riyan customer becomes part of this work. Wear pieces built to last. Hold us accountable along the way.