Recently, I received darling gifts from a Peace Corps friend of my Aubrey Zhang. Since July 4th, 2018, when Aubrey opened her shop, Fenna&Fei, she has been working hard at creating beautiful pieces of acetate jewelry for her business.
She sent me some pieces of jewelry that she thought I would enjoy, which, of course, I did. I have very sensitive skin, so basically, any jewelry that I wear has to be either stainless steel or sterling silver. Lucky for me, she has created a variety of earrings that work well in my sensitive lobes.
Curious about her unique and beautiful designs, I asked her where she gained her motivation for jumpstarting Fenna&Fei and her method for making it. She didn’t give away too much info but gave away just enough to let me know what makes her jewelry so special.
Here’s what she had to say about her acetate jewelry!
What is the inspiration behind the name Fenna&Fei?
Fenna&Fei is inspired by my two daughters Fenna (20 months old) and Anlin Fei (7 months).
What is your jewelry made out of?
My jewelry is made from cellulose acetate, a biodegradable and plant-based plastic! It’s made by combining acetic acid and cotton pulp. It’s a very intricate and complicated process actually. First, acetate is created into tiny pellet-like pieces that are melted down, colored, dried and then cut up into bigger acetate chips. These colorful acetate chips are then combined together to make hundreds of color combinations. They are melted down into sheets and then dried. Then we cut the shapes out for our jewelry using a laser cutting machine.
Once the pieces are cut, they are put in large Italian-style acetate polishing barrels for 2-3 days then hand polished for a beautiful marble finish.
What motivated you to start creating your own jewelry?
I’ve always loved crafting and making things. I grew up watching my mother create. She was an amazing florist, crafter, and gardener. A lot of that rubbed off on me. So, while I loved being a mom to my sweet Fenna, I didn’t have a lot of time to do anything else! So to fulfill that biological need to create, I sought out a craft that I would enjoy. I came across acetate while I was walking around an International trade market. I saw hundreds of different color acetate chips on the wall of this tiny store and fell in love! The color combinations and shapes you could design were endless! Plus, the material was eco-friendly! The perfect combo for my creative and nature-loving spirit!
Who takes your amazing photos?
While I was teaching English in China just after my Peace Corps service, I met a lovely Russian teacher. She currently lives in Germany with her husband. They are both photographers! And she is a model 🙂 I really lucked out there.
Is there anything you want people to know about your products?
My main motivation for this business was to create but my life’s purpose has always been to serve others. I plan on trekking across the world, starting in China, providing free education to children in undeveloped communities. I am almost done with my Masters in ESL and once my education is complete the funds from Fenna&Fei will help me to fulfill this dream.
How you can find Fenna&Fei jewelry
You can visit my website at fennaandfei.com or Etsy at fennaandfei.etsy.com. I’ve also just opened on Amazon! You can also find her on Instagram at @fennaandfei or on Facebook.
Planted-Based and Eco-Friendly Acetate Jewelry
If you are looking for a plant-based, eco-friendly, and beautiful jeweler who creates a variety of designs suitable for any occasion, Fenna&Fei is the place to go. You’ll find reasonably priced and light-weight pieces that will go with practically anything in your closet.
Check out Aubrey’s Etsy shop or the Fenna&Fei website to see which spectacular items she has in stock!
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