The name "faerwear" is sort of a pun, etc. based on a few things:
1) I sometimes sell at festivals and fairs.
2) I keep everything as recycled, repurposed, upcycled, and sustainable as I can (aka "fair").
3) Faeries inspire me ("faer...")
4) These are "wares" that you "wear".
All the leather I use came from bags, jackets, purses, or scraps I've found in thrift stores or that have been given to me. Absolutely all of it is repurposed from other things.
I did try a "vegan" option, but here's what I run into with that: ultrasuede, which is softer and allows for better fringe (I really like fringe), is also not very durable and ripped very easy, and "vegan leather" options (mostly "pleather" kinds of things) while offering a great range of colors and textures, doesn't cut very well, and doesn't look so great once it's cut either...
Hence, i tried, but no, I don't offer vegan options at this time.
There's only so much leather on a jacket or pair of pants. Granted, it's a lot of leather when it comes to making earrings from it, but... I don't have an endless supply from which to choose from. It does run out eventually. I also deconstruct old jewelry and such, and so that also means a limited supply, or a one-of-a-kind design. If you like it, better get it. Once an item sells out, it disappears from the website completely.
And yes, sometimes I make necklaces, and sometimes I make leather flower clips. When I do, they show up on the website. If they're not here, I don't have any in stock at the moment.
No. Leather is leather. Just like leather pants eventually form to your body, leather near your ears will pick up hair and skin oils, or simply just change color due to exposure. This is how leather is. If you're unhappy with what the leather on your earrings has become, please visit my Repairs, Replacements, Returns and Refunds page first, and then contact me about having it replaced.
Absolutely. I purchase my metals from a supplier who sells recycled materials. I also save all my metal scraps to send back for recycling!
I sell at juried craft shows, pop-ups and private trunk shows as well as select boutiques around the US. Keep your eyes out for a stockist list! Check out my events calendar to find out when events and where events happen.
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Yes, I sell wholesale! If you are a boutique owner, get in touch.
Yep. I'm still on the hunt for quality surgical steel wire, but for the moment most people with silver allergies are doing well with 14k gold-filled hoops. I offer them as an upgrade option for all current designs (once a pair of jewelry hits the "sale rack", however, they are sold as-is - and the standard hoop is made from Argentium silver, which has a slightly higher silver content, and slightly less nickel). I have also been considering niobium, but I still haven't found a good source. It's expensive!
I can also switch stuff to factory-produced surgical steel ear hooks - they're not as pretty, and they won't stay in gauge tunnels like my hoops do, but it's an option if nothing else works.
In a sense, every purchase is "gift-wrapped". Let me know if it's a gift on checkout, and I'll avoid sending a packaging slip with a price on it. Otherwise, all pieces are shipped in a locking plastic baggie (to protect the leather) and tucked inside a recycled, printed paper bag that fits inside a small bubble-wrap mailer. This helps keep costs in packaging and shipping lower for all of us (my earrings, too, are generally so long that they would only fit in a necklace box - those aren't cheap, and I'd rather not tack that cost onto my earrings).
Click here if you need further information on faerwear shipping policies and practices.
Everything you need to know is right here.