How do you produce the designs for your jewelry business? Hand making each piece can be rewarding, but it can also be timely and exhausting, and it can ultimately impact the success of your jewelry business. Finding the right manufacturing partner can do more than just make your life a little easier — it can also grow your business. In this article, we’ll take a look at the ins and outs of finding the right jewelry manufacturer and how it can change your jewelry business for the better.
The Barriers to Partnering with Manufacturers
If you’ve considered partnering with a jewelry manufacturer before but haven’t committed or found the right one, it might be because of a few different reasons. For instance, some manufacturers have a high minimum order quantity, making it difficult for a small business’s finances to see any returns. Not every jewelry company needs to order hundreds of pieces per style, and for many, it’s too costly.
So then you might search for an international company with lower production costs. But the problem here is that many international companies can offer production at a lower price point, but then you end up paying an arm and a leg in shipping costs. Plus, international partnerships can sometimes come with language barriers and time zone differences that make communication difficult.
For these reasons, partnering with a jewelry manufacturer might seem like more of a hassle than it's worth. But once you’ve found the right one, your business can truly transform. Let’s find out why.
The Benefits of Working with a Jewelry Manufacturer
While finding a jewelry manufacturer might seem overwhelming, finding the right partner can ultimately take your business to the next level. Firstly, partnering with a manufacturer can help you produce more jewelry pieces in a fraction of the time it takes to hand make each piece, without compromising quality. Manufacturers are equipped with advanced technology and dozens, if not hundreds, of highly skilled staff members who are dedicated to craftsmanship. This not only makes the process of production easier for you, but it also gives you back precious time. When you use this time to manage customer orders, develop social media marketing strategies, ideate new designs, and create meaningful business connections, your jewelry business will be in a totally new place.
Aside from production, there are a host of other services that some manufacturers can provide. For example, you might find a manufacturer that can assist you in retail support, helping you place your jewelry on the shelves of department stores where your jewelry can shine. Or they might offer support with ethical material sourcing, design assistance, repair services for your customers, and more. When it’s done right, this partnership can expand your business in ways you never thought possible.
Finding the Right Manufacturer for Your Jewelry Business
Not all manufacturers are built the same. As we mentioned, there are plenty with high production costs, exorbitant shipping costs, and complicated communications barriers. But there are also manufacturers who don’t require minimum shipping orders, who are domestically headquartered to avoid high shipping costs, and have a full staff ready to help with whatever you need. The key to finding the right manufacturer is knowing what to look for. Here are a few things to consider when searching for the right manufacturer for your jewelry business:
- Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ): For many small jewelry businesses, high minimum order quantities can be a major barrier when partnering with manufacturers. Finding one that doesn't require hundreds of pieces per style is crucial for keeping production costs manageable. If this matters to your jewelry business, ask about low or no MOQs.
- Design process: An ideal manufacturing partner will be able to assist you throughout the design process, from bringing your initial concepts to life through expert CAD rendering and feedback, to finalization of all details. This collaborative process ensures your creative vision shines through.
- Timeline for production: Production timelines can vary across manufacturers. Understanding typical lead times upfront allows you to plan accordingly and meet customer demand without delays.
- Sourcing: Ethical and responsible sourcing of materials is increasingly important. The right manufacturing partner can guide you through procuring ethically-mined gems and responsibly-sourced metals, or even ethically source materials for you. Ask about their Responsible Jewellery Council credentials to ensure their materials meet ethical standards.
- Location and shipping: While international manufacturers may offer lower production costs, be mindful of potential shipping costs and complexities that can quickly add up. A domestic manufacturer can simplify logistics and cut down on shipping costs (and carbon emissions).
The Partnering Up Process, Explained
So what happens when a manufacturer meets all your criteria? Let’s take a look at what partnering up with a jewelry manufacturer entails:
- Talk with a representative: Your journey begins with an open discussion where you can share your needs, goals, and vision with a knowledgeable representative from the manufacturing company.
- Send in your design ideas: Whether sketched concepts or just jotted-down ideas, you'll provide the initial design inspirations that will be translated into production.
- Receive a Computer Aided Design (CAD): Utilizing advanced computer-aided design technology, the manufacturer will develop detailed 3D CAD renderings of your pieces for review.
- Feedback and finalize details: This collaborative step allows you to provide feedback on the CADs before all specifications like materials, quantities, and finishing touches are locked in.
- Receive your sample: Before full production, you'll receive a flawless sample piece for final approval and quality check.
- Order your jewelry pieces: With your sample approved, you can confidently place your full production order, trusting it's in the hands of skilled craftspeople.
- Get help with retail placement, repairs, and more: Beyond manufacturing, the right partner can support other crucial aspects like securing retail partnerships, offering repair services for customers, and more full-service solutions.
Ready to find the right manufacturing partner for your jewelry business? Our team has had over forty years of dedicated experience to the craft of producing fine jewelry for companies large and small. Beyond the four million pieces we produce annually, our team is here to support you with material sourcing, design assistance, wholesale retail connections, and repair services. Our devoted, skilled team of 800 jewelers are equipped with the most cutting edge technology to produce the highest quality that you and your customers deserve. Get in touch with us today to get started on expanding your jewelry business.
