HOUSTON, Oct. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- greenKarat® announced that it has received third-party certification of recycled content. This is the first third-party certification of a jewelry retailer.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111011/DA83846)

Eco-friendly wedding and engagement rings have grown in popularity as activist organizations such as Oxfam's No Dirty Gold educate regarding the environmental impact of gold mining.  In an effort to appeal to eco-conscious couples, the jewelry industry has seen a steep increase in 'green' claims; marketing with terms such as 'recycled' without providing independent verification of recycled content.

"The jewelry industry is starting a slow turn toward environmental responsibility," said Matthew White, President of greenKarat .  "We are proud to be in the lead on that effort."

There is growing consumer awareness regarding the importance of recycling.  Yet use of the term 'recycled' is not regulated in the jewelry industry the way that 'organic' is in the food industry. The US Federal Trade Commission and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) have issued voluntary standards for environmental marketing claims, but FTC enforcement procedures appear weak.  The result is that unscrupulous jewelers can make unsubstantiated claims without much fear of reprisal.

The greenKarat third-party certification not only provides independent verification of overall recycled content, but also discloses the postconsumer portion of that content.  The jewelry industry has been slow to adopt that disclosure standard, however, as postconsumer content is more difficult to achieve. greenKarat's certification confirms that the gold used is 100% postconsumer recycled.

About GreenCircle Certified

GreenCircle Certified, LLC provides third-party certification of environmental and sustainability claims on consumer products and manufacturing operations. The certification of greenKarat covers recycled content, including specific disclosure of postconsumer recycled content, and of closed loop products.  

About greenKarat

In 2003 greenKarat.com pioneered the eco-jewelry niche with fine jewelry featuring recycled gold and laboratory created diamonds.  Today the focus remains on creating wedding and engagement rings that are of the highest quality, but with a minimal environmental footprint. greenKarat.com caters to eco conscious couples, offering in depth educational tools and unparalleled disclosure of the ecological characteristics of its jewelry.   Full details of the certification are available on the company's website.  greenKarat's jewelry is handmade to order in the US and Canada, and ships free worldwide.  greenKarat can be found online at www.greenKarat.com .

SOURCE greenKarat

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