A Beautiful Story

PRODUCTION LOCATIONS

• Nepal
• India

WORKING CONDITIONS & WAGES

A Beautiful Story produces in Nepal and India and has worked closely with selected workshops there for many years. The collaboration creates opportunities to preserve traditional craft techniques and supports fairer, long-term employment.

Many projects focus specifically on women, such as Beads for Life or Hatti Hatti, which promote financial independence and empowerment.

All products are handmade, from metal casting and beadwork to upcycling saris or producing paper goods from FSC-certified recycled paper.

Since 2022, the brand has been B Corp certified and is therefore committed to strict social and environmental standards.

Relationships with producers are intentionally long-term: some partnerships have existed for over a decade, supported by regular visits to Nepal and India. A Beautiful Story does not work with a large number of suppliers but with a small group of trusted partners who are considered part of the ​“family”. The brand does not own its own production facilities. To ensure safe and fair conditions, it applies a ​“Living Wage Plus” approach instead of minimum wages, offers training and coaching in areas such as finance or quality management, and provides support with social issues such as childcare or emergencies. According to the company, regulated working hours, safe workplaces and participation rights are implemented within the workshops.

The brand defines itself as a social enterprise, is a member of Social Enterprise NL, and emphasises equality and inclusivity both in production and within the Amsterdam-based team. A large proportion of producers in Nepal and India are women who are specifically supported, while diversity and equal opportunities are also highlighted within the European team.

MATERIALS

• Gemstones
• Glass beads
• Brass (copper-zinc alloy, partly silver-plated or gold-plated)
• Paper (FSC-certified, made from recycled cotton remnants from the textile industry)
• Textiles (e.g. recycled sari fabrics used by Hatti Hatti)
• Horn or bone beads (only in older collections, now almost completely replaced)

While gemstones can be problematic due to a lack of traceability, the brand works with projects such as Moyo Gems to support fairer supply chains.

PACKAGING

• For e‑commerce packaging, A Beautiful Story uses reused cardboard boxes as well as pouches made from water-soluble, plastic-free material. Paper materials are FSC certified and sourced from recycled inputs.
• Within the supply chain, FSC recycled paper and the multiple reuse of cardboard are also prioritised to make transport and storage as resource-efficient as possible.

WATER USE & CHEMICALS

The company states that all materials comply with EU REACH regulations and are therefore free from harmful chemicals such as nickel.

For paper products, only FSC-certified recycled paper is used, meaning no additional water or bleaching processes are required in pulp production.

The jewellery itself is mainly made from brass, glass beads and natural stones, which do not undergo intensive chemical treatment or dyeing.

CIRCULAR PRODUCT DESIGN

A Beautiful Story products usually consist of simple material combinations such as brass with a coating or natural stones combined with glass and brass elements. These are therefore not pure mono-materials, which makes later recycling more difficult. The brand does not offer a take-back service for worn jewellery or accessories.

However, recycled or upcycled materials are used in some cases, for example FSC-certified recycled paper or saris.

As the jewellery pieces are handmade and relatively small in scale, repair is generally possible.

CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODEL

For defective or damaged items, A Beautiful Story offers a repair service via customer service. In addition, a six-month warranty is mentioned, during which complaints are covered.

There is no take-back service for used or worn products. Other circular business models such as rental or resale are also not offered.

The company focuses on fairer production, the upcycling of materials and the handcrafted durability of its products.

DISTANCE & COMPLEXITY OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN

• Nepal – jewellery workshops, women’s projects such as Beads for Life, Hatti Hatti (upcycling of saris)
• India – jewellery and paper production, including Seet Kamal (recycled paper) and Creative Designs in Jaipur
• Tanzania – pilot project Moyo Gems for fairly sourced gemstones
• The A Beautiful Story HQ is located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

TRANSPORT

• Within the supply chain, jewellery and accessories are transported from workshops in Nepal and India, and gemstones from Tanzania, to Europe. The central warehouse is located in Amsterdam, from where further distribution is organised. The brand does not provide specific information on transport methods.
• For e‑commerce, orders are shipped directly from the warehouse in Amsterdam. No specific details are given regarding shipping providers or the environmental impact of transport.

• Horn beads
• Bone beads

These materials originate from older collections of A Beautiful Story. Today, almost all products are described as vegan.

The brand does not publish a specific code of conduct regarding animal-derived materials.

PRODUCT DESIGN

A Beautiful Story offers jewellery and accessories such as bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings, as well as paper and gift items.

The collections are stylistically diverse, ranging from delicate to more statement designs, and are intended to appeal to different age groups and individual tastes.

SLOW FASHION PROCESSES

A Beautiful Story releases two new collections per year, designed in Amsterdam and handcrafted in Nepal and India. In addition, there are timeless classics that remain in the range on a long-term basis.

Production takes place in small batches.

PRODUCT TRANSPARENCY

Product pages highlight that the jewellery is produced in a fairer way and handcrafted in Nepal and India. Alongside the symbolism of each design, the materials used, such as brass, gold plating or gemstones, are also listed.

A notable detail is the indication of handcrafting minutes, showing how much labour time goes into each piece and how this contributes to job creation. Product details also include colour, symbolic meaning and finish, as well as general information on shipping and returns.

In terms of traceability, it is clear that the products are made in Nepal or India, but it remains unclear in which specific workshop or by which producers the individual piece was made. The exact origin of raw materials such as gemstones is also not specified on product pages. The brand therefore provides transparency at country level without enabling full traceability of each individual product.

PROCESS TRANSPARENCY

A Beautiful Story provides relatively comprehensive information about its processes and suppliers. The website includes a dedicated section on producers in Nepal and India, presenting workshops such as Beads for Life, Artisans Workshop, Seet Kamal or Creative Designs. These profiles describe the craft techniques used, the social goals pursued and how collaboration is organised. The brand also highlights its principles regarding fairer wages, safe working conditions, transparency and long-term partnerships.

Most of this information is found on general pages or in the FAQ. Product pages contain only limited details on origin and materials, without full traceability of individual jewellery pieces.

Since 2020, A Beautiful Story has published an annual Impact Report covering social and environmental topics such as fairer work, education, partnerships and supply chain transparency. These reports are available on the website and document progress as well as future goals.