5 Best Places to Source Material for Handmade Jewellery Business

In Jewellery 101, we learn that a piece of jewellery’s essence extends beyond its dazzling beauty and wearability. In fact, it also encompasses its durability. Creating handmade jewellery is a passion for many handmade crafts business owners. While the creativity juice of design process might flow naturally, finding the right high-quality materials can be a bit challenging. In this blog post, we’re delighted to share our curated list of the 5 best places to source materials for your handmade jewellery business.
5 best places to source quality material for handmade jewellery business

Ensuring the durability of your masterpieces is key. Not only for those passionate about crafting jewellery, but also profitability of their businesses. As a matter of fact, high quality material doesn’t have to come with high price tags. The list below will serve as a valuable guide in your quest for crafting excellence while managing costs effectively.

1. Local stores

When it comes to convenience, the local store tops our lists. There’s an instant gratification in acquiring your supplies right away. Also, you can eliminate shipping costs and agonising wait. Discover a handful of charming local gems in KL and Penang below.

KL / Selangor 
Beads Jewellery Trading Sdn Bhd
23, Jalan Sultan, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur

Glister Fashion
26G, Jalan 52/18, Bandar Baru Petaling Jaya, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Penang
Jo Accessories Sdn Bhd
272, Victoria St, Georgetown, 10200 George Town, Penang

iCrystal (Crystal beads strands only)
No.70, 1-20, Jalan Mahsuri, Bayan Baru, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang

2. Etsy

Etsy is a renowned platform for crafters to showcase and sell their unique handmade creations online. You’ll also discover sellers offering a wide array of handmade jewelry materials, including beads, semi-precious stones, fabrics, and more. While prices may not always be the lowest, Etsy is an excellent place to find rare gems and distinctive materials for your masterpieces.

3. PandaHall

PandaHall is a treasure trove of cute knick-knacks, glass beads, crystal beads, resin beads , metal findings, chains, affordable jewelry displays, and packaging supplies and more. It is often referred to as the “Taobao of the jewellery world” as it offers everything you need at affordable prices. Nevertheless, do exercise caution when purchasing semi-precious stones to avoid counterfeit items.

4. Rio Grande

Based in the United States, Rio Grande has a longstanding reputation as a supplier of top-notch jewellery-making materials, tools and equipment. From metal sheets to precious stones and 3D printer, their quality is exceptional. If you are concern about ethical source of jewellery production, Rio Grande has shown their commitment in ESG by providing ethical metals and gemstones. Keep in mind that delivery times may be longer since they ship from the United States.

5. Jewellery Exhibition Show

Last but certainly not least, one of the most exciting part of material sourcing journey is attending jewellery fair. Throughout the year, there are several prestigious jewellery fairs happening in Asia. Jewellery and Gems World Hong Kong in September stands out as the largest of all with more than 3000 exhibitors and 40 pavilions. You will be dazzled by a plethora of high quality gem stones, crystal beads, Akoya pearls strands, fresh water pearls, latest tools, equipments and more. Admission to these jewellery fairs is free, but to secure your admission pass, you have to pre-register from their websites.
Hong Kong 
Bangkok
Japan
IJT Tokyo (January)
IJK Kobe (May)
IJT Autumn (October)

Let’s start the journey to source material for handmade jewellery …

All in all, balancing quality materials with cost-efficiency is a real challenge for many handmade business owners. The right material and cost contributes to the long-term sustainability and profitability of your business. You can learn more about pricing your creation by using our Handmade Product Pricing Calculator. Lastly, we hope this article provides insights on sourcing high-quality materials at reasonable prices. Enjoy your sourcing journey!