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Who designs your bracelets?

We do!  Each and every Lotus Sky bracelet is designed in studio, from the pattern mapping to the color selections.  As a design studio, we create brand new designs each week and often invite collaborations on our social media channels so that you can see your ideas or concepts brought to life in real time!

What is the beadwork technique you use for your bracelets?

Tubular beadwork crochet.  This involves looping each bead one at a time into the crochet work.  There are many YouTube tutorials available for those who wish to learn more- just search for "Beadwork crochet bracelets" and you'll find plenty!   Since this craft is found all over the world, just like knitting or quilting, the technique can be learned and applied to create any design you can dream up!  : )

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I know of another company selling the same style of bracelets.  Are you the same or are they all made by the same women?

There are many companies who create and/or resell beadwork crochet bracelets that are crafted in Nepal.  We are not affiliated with any other companies (besides those to whom we wholesale) and all of our pieces are designed and crocheted by Lotus Sky craftwomen. 

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However, many of the "Nepal glass bead bracelets" on the internet are distributed by one of just a few very dominant dealers in Kathmandu who farm labor out to smaller villages and then resell the bracelets to companies outside of Nepal.  The multiple layers of distribution in these cases makes standardization difficult and transparent labor practices a challenge. 

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We always say that all are welcome in the marketplace- there is enough room for everyone's beadwork designs and creativity.  And there are so many endless design possibilities with beadwork crochet that as long as one person or company isn't copying another in design, we should all be able to peacefully coexist.

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Because most of the Lotus Sky women are Lhomi refugees who have learned beadwork crochet from our sisters and mothers, it is an important part of our cultural heritage.  However, from the beginning, we have sought to push design innovation and bring a global perspective to both our bracelets and earrings. Unless someone has copied our designs, you won't see them anywhere else! We create new pieces every week at our small studio in Kathmandu! 

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Is Lotus Sky fair trade?

The women of Lotus Sky are at the forefront of the New Fair Trade Movement which aims to connect consumers directly with their designers and artisans wherever they are in the world. The old fair trade model suggests that artisans need distributors and buyers in wealthier countries to come in and conduct "trade" at what is deemed a "living" wage for the artisans. The New Fair Trade movement asserts that designers and artisans can connect directly with their buyers and set their own fair prices without a markup to the middle-person.

Each Lotus Sky bracelet is 100% authentically handmade by the women of Lotus Sky. Therefore, unlike many "fair trade" companies, we are not resellers, but are the actual makers, designers, product photographers, web developers and content creators behind our bracelets and movement. This keeps you, the customer, directly connected to your artisans, without the need for middle-persons and third, fourth, or even fifth party dealers.

Unlike resellers, who have no control over who makes their bracelets and how much the artisans are paid, at Lotus Sky we are a part of the Fashion Revolution and invite you to know your makers. Because behind every bracelet is a face, a name, and a story!

At Lotus Sky, we believe that participation in the marketplace is power. This is why we believe in more than a living wage- we believe in an investable wage that allows Lotus Sky women to save money for their education, healthcare, and for their families, not just make ends meet!

We have a very thorough discussion of our unyielding commitment to ethical consumerism, so please check that out here. 

With Lotus Sky, it is from our crochet needles directly to your wrists!

Do you take custom orders?

The short answer is YES!  Having a direct relationship with your designers and artisans means that you can order anything customized.  Because we create each and every piece you see on our website ourselves, we are happy to take custom orders of any quantity and custom size! Whether you want one bracelet or one hundred, a children's collection designed uniquely for your boutique, or a color scheme that you know will have your customers obsessing, we'll get out our crochet needles and whip you up a collection made just for you! 

There are some important details to know depending on the type of custom order you request:

I am a boutique looking to sell Lotus Sky bracelets.  Do you offer wholesale rates?

Absolutely! The Lotus Sky Partners Program gives you the perfect opportunity to create collections for your store that you know your customers will love! When you partner with us, our goal is to be there for you every step of the way in creating collections- whether custom made, custom color schematized, or even custom sized. We offer an individualized, personal approach to bringing a product line into your business that will get your customers hooked and returning time and time again to build their collections. Lotus Sky bracelets are so addictive, they just about guarantee return business! And, best of all, we will crochet to order just for you, so you can design bracelets your customers will love!

Just hop on over to the Shop Wholesale section of our store to fill out the prospective buyers form. We'll get back to you ASAP!  

To plan a custom collection, made just for you, email beadwork@lotusskyjewelry.com

What are Lotus Sky Grab Bags? Should I expect to receive the exact same bracelets as are in the product listing images or different ones?

After we have completed all of our beadwork for the week, we assemble our Grab Bags in packs of 10 right here at the Studio in Kathmandu. Each grab bag is unique and chosen by a Lotus Sky girl! We try to make each collection special, with attention to color and pattern diversity and the inclusion of a few new designs created in the course of the week.

The images in the Grab Bag product listings are therefore just sample Grab Bags. While these collections are actual Grab Bags that have been created, it is unlikely that you’ll receive the same grab bag that we used for the product listing photos. One of the reasons the Grab Bags are so affordably priced is that we do not have to create individual product photos for each collection, along with a separate listing. This saves us a lot of time and resources- savings that we can pass along to you!

The Grab Bags are perfectly geared toward customers who are not super particular about  the exact bracelets they will receive, but mainly interested in quickly and affordably building a large collection for personal wear, resale, or gift-giving.

If you prefer to choose your exact bracelets, we have a whole range of singles and smaller “as pictured” packs, in which the product photos exactly correspond to the bracelets you will receive! This is definitely the way to go if you want to plan your arm candy confection down to the last detail!

Will my bracelets be arriving to me from Nepal or from the US? How long does shipping take?

All bracelets posted on our web-shop are in the US and ready to be shipped to you domestically. As we complete each collection here at the Lotus Sky Studio in Kathmandu, Nepal, we first ship to our Lotus Sky super shippers, Caroline and Kelsie, in Michigan. Only once these bracelets have safely arrived to Michigan are they made live on our web-shop.

This means that within the US you don’t have to worry about international shipping rates or timeframes unless you have made a special custom order directly from Nepal. Once you select your bracelets, they will be shipped to you in 1-3 business days using the United States Postal Service and should arrive in your mailbox 2-5 business days following shipping. 

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Tell me about the glass beads in Lotus Sky bracelets - can I wear them while working out or in water?

What size are your bracelets?  Will they fit me?

Original sized Lotus Sky bracelets are crocheted to an approximate length of 7 inches, so that they have an inside circumference of about 6.5 to 6.75 inches.  We have found that this is the preferred bangle size for the majority of women.

We crochet our bracelets on hand-dyed natural cotton thread, so that they have a slight give to easily and comfortably slide over the largest part of the hand, while still resting perfectly right below the wrist bone.

We can always crochet custom bracelets- even if you only need one. Just email us at: beadwork@lotusskyjewelry.com to get started. 

If you are not quite sure that our original sized bracelets will fit you, there are two helpful measurements:

>>> If the length across the top of your hand, from your index finger knuckle to your pinkie knuckle is around 3 inches, our original sized bracelets should easily slide over your hand.

>>> If your wrist circumference is anywhere between 5-6.5 inches, our original sized bracelets should fit.  However, if you prefer more wiggle room or a tighter fit, you can downsize or upsize appropriately.

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For example, our creative director, Sarah's, wrist circumference is 5.75 inches and she prefers the original size, liking the "bangle room."  Our team leader, Pimma's, wrist circumference is 6.75 inches and she also prefers the original size, liking her bracelets to fit more like a "band."

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Note that part of your perfect fit involves how you prefer your bracelets to fit.  Do you prefer a tighter fit like a "band" or a looser fit like a "bangle"?

The chart below will help you determine your perfect size.

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May I volunteer with the Lotus Sky Nepal Earthquake Relief Team?

We definitely understand and appreciate the motivation to come to Nepal to work with earthquake relief efforts! Lotus Sky has dedicated our relief efforts to the village of Raniban, about 4 hours down the mountainside from Nagarkot. This place was hit extremely hard by all of the earthquakes, landslides, and rainstorms that have been pummeling the region. Reaching Raniban continues to be treacherous, with deaths occurring regularly on the path to the village due to aftershocks and landslides. Therefore, all members of the Lotus Sky Relief Team operate on a strictly volunteer basis, at our own personal risk. We cannot assume responsibility for volunteers from abroad. We do encourage you to find aid organizations with established connections on the ground in Nepal and donate to them in whatever way possible!

I don’t see my question listed here. How can I contact you?

Please send all inquiries to beadwork@lotusskyjewelry.com. Thanks so much!