Five female-owned handmade earring brands you need to check out

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You may have noticed from recent Instagram posts that I’m a jewellery addict.

My Stackers jewellery box is full to the brim with earrings, but I need another stack purely for my ‘statement’ earrings!

These five gorgeous pairs of handmade earrings have been created by badass women – three of which are local-to-me Staffordshire babes.

From polymer clay, to wood and cotton, each one is totally unique with their own stylish designs.

Here are the five female-owned handmade earring brands you need to check out:

Cloud and Clay

I fell in love with Cloud and Clay the second I stumbled upon their Instagram. Then I found out that they were created in my home county and I was even more in love. I don’t think there’s anything I enjoy more than shouting about independent businesses in Staffordshire.

My earrings are Cloud and Clay’s Rose design, though I have several pairs on a wishlist. Pastel polymer clay with gold hardwear is a dreamy combo – and there are some dotty and terrazzo style patterns online too.

The babe behind the brand is Lucy, who started to make earrings as a hobby after dropping out of uni.

She said: “I was studying fashion management and communication, and when I dropped out I started to make polymer clay earrings. Following a lot of interest from friends and family, I started selling on Etsy!”

A year later, and Lucy has her own website where she stocks earrings, rings, necklaces and hair accessories. Cloud and Clay has even featured in Tatler and Elle UK!

Cloud and Clay have made the switch to plastic-free packaging in an effort to reduce waste.

Sapphire Frills

Based in Norwich, Sapphire Frills create colourful polymer clay designs inspired by on-trend patterns.

After graduating with a First Class Hons in Fashion, Sapphire went on to work as a Ted Baker design admin assistant, and set up a men’s clothing brand, but is now designing statement accessories in her home office!

Sapphire set up the brand in April last year, and have six (soon to be seven) UK stockists. Their designs come in a variety of bright colours and different sizes, including mini hearts and lightening bolts, to dangly polygons and squares.

My earrings are the pink and red leopard print rectangles – though I do have my eye on the shimmery champagne leopard print ones too.

I bagged these for half-price as they’re a ‘seconds’ pair, though you’d never be able to notice the imperfections unless you were seriously inspecting them.

Sapphire said: “I get most of my inspiration from animals or other on-trend prints – and I love colour!”

There are lots of pinks, reds and gold foil, and can be ordered as studs, hoops, dangles or hooks – as well as clip ons for those of you without your ears pierced!

Nadine Wilde Textiles

Made from 100% cotton, Nadine’s tassel earrings are totally dreamy.

She said: “My background as a textile designer and weaver is fuelled by the ability to craft something by hand.”

Nadine started making the earrings after feeling inspired by the fringing and tassels in her own woven tapestries.

She takes inspiration from snapshots in time, adding: “I like to mix colours and textures together that I feel excited by at a particular moment in time. For example, I took inspiration from my time in Marrakech to create the green, Majorelle blue, and pink/red versions.”

Nadine initially made the designs for herself, but started to make them for friends and family in various colourways before making them available to order.

Ivy and Ginger

Ivy and Ginger is a wooden jewellery brand based in Staffordshire. Creator Nicky studied 3D crafts at Staffordshire University and went on to specialise in fine jewellery.

Nicky said: “I loved working with silver, but I missed working with colour and pattern, as both have always been passions of mine in my artwork.”

The brand takes natural wood and gives them a handpainted makeover with abstract and animal print patterns, inspired by fashion and homeware trends.

I’ve got the Leopard Print Dangle earrings, which come in various colours, shapes and sizes. Prices on Nicky’s Etsy shop start at just £3.50, so your ears can look fab for less!

Audrey and George

I first encountered Audrey and George in the run up to the Manchester Craft and Flea market. I was scouting out the stall holders online so that I knew where to head whilst in the cathedral. Audrey and George were such a stand out brand, with some very funky shapes and styles.

Again, made with polymer clay, Audrey and George jewellery are a Manchester based brand born after Rhiannon wanted to save some extra cash for a house deposit.

Their designs are inspired by a whole host of sources. Creator Rhiannon said: “I take a lot of inspiration from art, what I see day to day, old pottery, makeup looks, nail art, soaps! I have a huge list of combinations I still want to try.”

With so many things to inspire designs, it means that there is a massive range of creations to choose from. The collection is huge, and ever growing. Many are born from experimentation of mixing colours and trying new shapes!

Rhiannon added: “Sustainability is pretty important to me, so when I broke even, I manage to eradicate all plastic from postage and packaging and continue to look at efforts of how I can do better. There is always a way to improve on the horizon for me, but I’m enjoying the process so far!”