Oh stainless steel, my beloved most favourited-est jewellery metal of all time. Aside from it being stunnnnning to look at, here are a few things I love about it.
I’ve been wearing it almost exclusively for years, initially inspired by G Flip’s signature thick curb chain, which re-ignited my passion for late 1990s/early 2000s nu metal style, alternative punk fashion, queer fashion roots & the connection to body piercings, rebellion, & anarchy.
Stainless steel has a magical aura about it. I LOVE LOVE LOOOVE LOVE making jewellery, bags and accessories that make people feel strong, confident, powerful, like a formidable badass, ESPECIALLY if they don’t always get a chance to feel that way day to day. It makes me SO happy that people genuinely love the hell out of their virago steel and wear them all day every day (also so proud of the ones who wear fork tines to bed, you guys are real ones).
Thrift-flipping & shopping eco-consciously is a HUGE passion of mine. I had dreams of doing something in the realm of thrift-flipping, so discovering I could figure out how to make my own stainless jewellery from cutlery was life-changing, combining two massive obsessions of mine was a NO BRAINER. I adore all my shiny chains and stainless steel hardware components, especially hex nuts (don’t ask me why, i just love em).
There are no rules on who should or should not wear my stuff. Stainless steel has been the chosen metal of queer & punk rebellion since the 70s & 80s. Unapologetic & proudly outside the norm. When we wear it, we carry on a legacy of strength, self-expression, individuality & doing & wearing whatever the hell we want. Plus, I make sure my pieces are size inclusive & fit every body!
Stainless steel is seriously tough as hell. It’s tarnish, corrosion & rust resistant. You can wear it all day, every day, showers, pools, wherever you want. It is the only jewellery material I have worn long term due to other pieces eventually tarnishing, breaking, or requiring me to take them on & off, no thanks! My work is physical (and I’m a klutz) so my jewellery gets knocked around a lot & NEEDS to be durable! I am a SUPER lazy jewellery wearer, I prefer to wear stuff I never take off.
It is hypoallergenic and safe for most skin types. My skin is sensitive as hell & prone to eczema, so I need to be super careful with what I wear. Stainless steel has nickel content under a durable coating, which means people with mild nickel allergies may react to it over time, but that is uncommon. It is generally very safe for most people long term. Strong nickel allergics would be the group I wouldn’t recommend it to!
Aside from the fact I’m a stainless steel baddie anyway, there is seriously WAY cooler options in op shops of stainless steel cutlery vs silver. I still get shooooook when I find a design I haven’t come across yet. The coolest part is I am now able to age most pieces, & some of the designs are 50, 60, even 70 years old, but they polish up like new, absolutely magical. I know a lot of cutlery jewellery makers use silver, which is absolutely fine for them, no judgement! It is easy to bend and there are a lot of beautiful antique pieces, they just aren’t my style!
Plus, on the sustainability of the metal, stainless steel is pretty decent by comparison. It is extremely recyclable, can be melted down endlessly and reproduced. It also contains around 60% recycled materials.
Stainless steel is TOUGH to work with, but the end results will always be worth it for me. My dream was to create products that last, and the cutlery being old but still looking brand new is a testament to how special it is. I find it really cool that I can create pieces that look brand new, out of bits of cutlery that are 50-70 years old. That is wild!