Over the past two years, UK jewellery businesses have been fighting a financial battle. Small retailers found themselves absorbing cost increases across almost every part of their operation.
According to the ONS, labour and overhead costs for small businesses rose by 12–18% from 2022 to 2024. This has become a burden for most independent jewellers.
For small studios in London, Birmingham, Brighton, or Edinburgh, producing everything domestically has simply become too expensive. But fully shifting production overseas comes with its own set of anxieties: quality control, communication barriers, shipping delays, and the fear of losing creative identity.
This is the dilemma many UK jewellery entrepreneurs are stuck in today, as it is difficult to balance local control with global cost efficiency.
Fortunately, a practical middle-ground has emerged: the hybrid manufacturing model.
A practical solution: Hybrid manufacturing
Hybrid manufacturing is increasingly becoming the strategy of choice for UK jewellery brands that want to stay competitive.
At its core, the model is straightforward: design, prototyping, branding, and final quality control remain in the UK, while skilled overseas manufacturers carry out labour-intensive production.
This approach offers a number of practical benefits:
1. Lower unit costs without sacrificing creative direction
Designers keep full control of their signature aesthetics. Overseas partners handle casting, polishing, plating, and assembly.
2. Faster restocks on bestsellers
Once a design resonates with customers, overseas production enables repeat orders at stable pricing.
3. Access to specialist craftsmanship
Many Asian workshops have decades of experience in silverwork, hand-carved patterns, and intricate casting. The same expertise would be costly to source domestically.
Three overseas manufacturers worth considering
For UK brands considering a hybrid model, choosing the right production partner is crucial. Below are three reputable options in regions known for skilled jewellery craftsmanship and competitive labour structures.
Thailand has become a preferred destination for UK brands looking for premium finishing at competitive costs.
Based in Bangkok, Primarose is a long-established OEM manufacturer specialising in 925 sterling silver production, gold vermeil, and high-grade brass, using REACH-compliant materials and offering flexible small-to-medium minimum order quantities.
Its finishing quality sits closer to European standards than typical mass-production hubs, making it a strong fit for UK brands that want to elevate product quality without inflating costs.
- Maru Bali Jewelry: Handcrafted and bohemian styles
Bali continues to attract designers drawn to textured, handcrafted, and spiritual aesthetics.
Local workshops are particularly strong in granulation and filigree techniques, organic hand-finishing, and small-batch production aligned with slow-fashion values.
Costs are moderate but still far below UK labour rates. It is ideal for boutique brands that prioritise uniqueness over mass production.
- Jaipur Manufacturing Studios: Gemstone setting
Jaipur remains one of the world’s most respected centres for gemstone cutting and stone setting.
Studios in the region are known for delivering high-precision stone setting at accessible costs, with direct access to a wide variety of semi-precious stones.
This region is especially suitable for brands planning gemstone-heavy lines or colourful seasonal collections.
A sustainable way forward
Hybrid manufacturing used to be something only established retailers could pull off. But today, it has become a lifeline for independent UK jewellery designers facing rising costs and shifting consumer behaviour.
For creative entrepreneurs determined to keep their passion alive, hybrid manufacturing isn’t just a workaround. It is the new business model that will define the next generation of UK jewellery brands.
