Jewelry Packaging

September 21, 2005 9:50 AM

Would you be put off if you ordered some beaded jewelry and it arrived in bags like this (or something similar) instead of in boxes like this (or something similar)?

I think they look fine and serve the purpose well, and are even suitable for gift-giving. Indeed, giving someone jewelry in a bag like that would offer more of a surprise than presenting something in an obviously jewelry-sized box. But jewelry always comes in boxes, so some people might feel that it's just wrong for it to be packaged otherwise. What do you think?

posted by leapingsheep to shopping (35 comments total)

I'd think it was cool. But I don't reguarly buy jewelry.
posted by rafter at 9:53 AM on September 21, 2005

I prefer the bags.
posted by jamesonandwater at 9:58 AM on September 21, 2005

How much does your jewelry cost?
posted by wsg at 9:58 AM on September 21, 2005

I think of beaded types of jewelry as being more casual and suited for the bag method of packing and delivery. I even got earrings fro a mail-order place that were in a cute velvet bag and I thought that was pretty neat. I see boxed jewelry as being expensive and formal and all other kinds as open to other box/wrap/ship options. Unless the jewelry was really fancy, delivering it in a box might imply fancier jewelry than what was inside the box and that is probably a bad idea.
posted by jessamyn at 9:59 AM on September 21, 2005

I would say it depends on the type of jewelry. You say beaded, so I assume it's not highly priced and formal (but i could be wrong), in which case the bags would be kinda cool. If I was buying a serious, formal piece, though, especially if it was a gift, I would expect a traditional gift box like your second link
posted by darsh at 9:59 AM on September 21, 2005

Beads would be much better in the bag.
posted by brautigan at 10:02 AM on September 21, 2005

I've received beaded jewelry as gifts, and several times it was presented to me in these sorts of bags. I've saved the bags because I thought they were charming, and yet have never saved a jewelry box. If your pieces are handcrafted and informal, then presenting them in something also informal that has the look of handiwork is appropriate, and really appealing as well.
posted by iconomy at 10:10 AM on September 21, 2005

You know, Tiffany uses bags for most small pieces nowadays, but they are blue faux-suede bags (or maybe real suede, never looked closely). I like them better than the boxes, although I think my wife is just happy to get things that come packaged in the Tiffany blue.
posted by luriete at 10:10 AM on September 21, 2005

Bags are cool. As long as the jewelry doesn't get all tangled in there.
posted by surferboy at 10:12 AM on September 21, 2005

I like the bags, but then I'm usually the giver, not the receiver.
posted by mischief at 10:26 AM on September 21, 2005

I think bags are a nice idea, but without having an idea of the style of your jewelry can't tell if those embroidered bags would fit with your designs or not. Something simpler (no embroidery) might be nicer.
posted by missmerrymack at 10:28 AM on September 21, 2005

I like the idea of bags, but before I clicked through the link I was expecting something dark-colored and velvety. The embroidery is a bit distracting. It doesn't say "jewelry" to me, it more says "potpourri". Will thin polyester bags protect the jewelry at all?

I think I expect jewelry packaging to look like something that could be used for presentation as well. I guess it depends on the jewelry, though; when I think "jewelry" I think "tries to look luxurious".
posted by mendel at 10:32 AM on September 21, 2005

I think I've gotten some Swarvoski stuff in bags, too.

I like the bags. I tend to think of beaded jewelry as more laid-back, maybe even "hippie-ish", and if that's the case with your pieces, I definitely think the bags work. And as iconomy said, people would probably save the bags for personal use or re-gifting.
posted by clh at 10:32 AM on September 21, 2005

I rather like the bags.
posted by odinsdream at 10:43 AM on September 21, 2005

I guess most of the jewelry isn't very hippie-ish, though some of it is. I use glass and polished rocks, pearls, Swarovski, silver. $20-60 for a bracelet, $30-90 for a necklace, with a few more expensive pieces that I'd definitely use boxes for. I think mendel is right, these bag's aren't at all luxurious and maybe I should look for some made of a natural material. Thanks so far.
posted by leapingsheep at 10:43 AM on September 21, 2005

I agree with mendel that it looks too much like bags of potpourri. If you can find bags less country/folk-art/americana, it'd have less of a potpourri feel.

And as said many times, I've gotten the small velvet bags with jewelry, and I find that I prefer those more than boxes, because I actually keep and use them. Though something different than the standard velvet bag might be a draw because it's unique...
posted by MsVader at 10:50 AM on September 21, 2005

I've been given jewelry from Superhero Designs and it comes in bags. But they're sheer, which somehow seems fancier to me than the bags you linked to.

But no problem with the bags.<
posted by dpx.mfx at 10:56 AM on September 21, 2005

Me & Ro (warning: linked site makes noise) packages their jewelry in velvet-y bags and every girl I know in New York goes nuts for their sample sales and such. So consider me the 82nd person to say "bags are fine!"
posted by bcwinters at 10:57 AM on September 21, 2005

My not-inexpensive wedding ring was shipped in a small velvet bag inside a FedEx envelope. Come to think if it, I was a little put off, but I can confirm, at least, that it's common practice.
posted by MrMoonPie at 11:06 AM on September 21, 2005

I prefer the bags by far. I used to keep all kinds of little things in such bags.
posted by ikkyu2 at 11:24 AM on September 21, 2005

As many others have said - bags, yes, in general, those particular bags, not really. Those particular bags look cheap and gaudy, but velvet bags are very common for jewellery and would be lovely with what you describe, assuming they aren't heavily structure pieces that won't go into bags.
posted by jacquilynne at 11:35 AM on September 21, 2005

I agree that bags are good, but maybe not the embroidered ones. I think these would be pretty for beaded jewelry.
posted by Emera Gratia at 11:56 AM on September 21, 2005

The bag idea is great for casual jewelry. I've seen sheer-ish bags in soft colours (tied off with pretty ribbons) that would be better suited for beaded jewelry.
posted by deborah at 12:02 PM on September 21, 2005

I like getting jewelry in a bag (but something a little nicer then what you linked)

But won't you have to box them up to ship them anyway?

If shipping cost is a factor you may want to consider whether the bags are cost effective.
posted by Julnyes at 12:02 PM on September 21, 2005

Duly bookmarked, Emera Gratia. And they have shipping boxes too. Bonus! Thanks.
posted by leapingsheep at 12:03 PM on September 21, 2005

My mom drank the beading Kool-Aid about five years ago. She's given mainy a beaded item in a bag like you cited and has even one upped herself by giving beaded items in beaded bags. From what I've seen of her beading club, they'd go for the bags over boxes, too.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 12:04 PM on September 21, 2005

I don't want to get too echo-chamber on ya, but since you asked: I'd prefer the bags, to get and give, particularly if the jewelry were of the beaded kind.
posted by safetyfork at 12:16 PM on September 21, 2005

Since you're crafty, if you can't find exactly what you're looking for, you can sew up some bags for merely pennies and they only take a few minutes each. You don't even have to hem the top; fringe it or fray it. I've made velvet bags similar to the ones you've linked to, sheer ones, and batiked cotton ones. The bags came in handy for sachets and soaps and things I made as gifts, once upon a time. Basically I just sewed two rectangles together, frayed the raw hem edge, put the object inside, and then tied a ribbon around the bag. You could keep the ribbon on permanently with a stitch or two.
posted by iconomy at 12:23 PM on September 21, 2005

When you buy jewelry at Chico's (women's clothing store) they put each piece into its own drawstring bag. The bags are patchwork-y and (I think) made from scraps of cloth left over from their clothing. I cherish these little bags and use them for all sorts of other things. I just gave one to my grandson to keep his baby teeth in. Oops! perhaps more than you needed to know. . .
posted by Joleta at 12:24 PM on September 21, 2005

Extending what iconomy said, if you have a serger, it's even faster to make them, and you can use decorative thread to finish the edge, thus making it beautiful and faster. I give most presents in small cloth envelopes made out of remainder fabric from my sewing project rather than wrapping paper. It impresses the hell out of people, uses up my scraps and costs almost no money (thread is dirt cheap).
posted by jacquilynne at 1:16 PM on September 21, 2005

A while back I sold a few items of costume jewelry on Ebay (all under $5) but the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. I'd simply wrapped each piece in a square of pale gold organza (saved from a large box of chocolates bought in the January sales last year) and tied it with a narrow red satin ribbon. I had lovely emails from customers, all delighted at the way they'd been wrapped.

If you're planning on selling beads/jewelry, it could be a very cost effective means of packaging, even if you factor in the stitching of the bags.
posted by ceri richard at 1:50 PM on September 21, 2005

These bags are exceedingly beautiful.
posted by i_cola at 3:05 PM on September 21, 2005

Definitely bags for beads and I love the bags i_cola linked to. If you are going the homemade route, how about adding a bead/s to the end of the ribbon similar to the ones on the jewelry that are inside. Just thinking it might give a more personalised gift.
posted by floanna at 3:42 PM on September 21, 2005

i_cola, I applaud your bag-finding skill. Those are indeed lovely bags. I thank you.

As for my sewing...let's just say that would result in something less than elegant.
posted by leapingsheep at 8:02 PM on September 21, 2005

I'll 'fess up... the owner is a friend of mine ;-)
posted by i_cola at 11:50 AM on September 22, 2005