Female-owned and operated, Maya Jewelry built its identity over 19 years around radical self-expression and a close connection to the piercing community. Founded in 2006, the company created hand-forged body jewelry for people who wanted to move beyond conventional beauty standards, and its work received Phase 2 verification from the Association of Professional Piercers. Maya Jewelry closed on December 31, 2025.
Association of Professional Piercers (APP) Body Jewelry Verification Program Phase 2: Gold Platinum Verified 2025
certification
Association of Professional Piercers (APP) Body Jewelry Verification Program
compliance_program
Female Owned and Operated
certification
MINNAFounded by Sara Berks in Brooklyn in 2013, MINNA designed ethically handmade homewares, textiles, and wallcoverings from its Upstate New York base. The queer-led, certified B Corp worked with master artisans in Central and South America to co-create contemporary designs rooted in generational craft knowledge, while also partnering with U.S. manufacturers for digitally printed textiles and wallcoverings. MINNA has since closed after 12 years, with its wallpaper and fabric collection continuing through Sara Berks’s studio.HUDSON, NY
World of SparkleFounded by Adariel Lee at age 14, World of Sparkle creates handmade jewelry and cosmetics built around bold self-expression. The brand began with Lee’s jewelry-making practice and was rebranded in 2020 to launch a handmade cosmetic line, including distinctive pieces such as beaded chokers and glitter makeup organizers. It presents itself as a community-centered brand committed to creating a welcoming space for LGBTQ makeup lovers and people of every gender identity.BRONX, NY
DANNIJOFounded in 2008 by Florida-born sisters Danielle and Jodie, DANNIJO creates statement jewelry alongside boldly colored silk slips and resort-leisure clothing. The sisters began by making jewelry with their cardiologist father’s medical tools, and the brand’s first 2007 debut was a fundraiser for a health clinic in Lwala, Kenya. Philanthropy remains part of DANNIJO’s identity, including collections that have supported causes such as the Mamba and Mambacita Foundation.NEW YORK, NY
bel moniliFrom her Pittsburgh-area home, Lucy Kelly hand-crafts one-of-a-kind jewelry and accessories from vintage and repurposed materials. Bel monili grew from Kelly’s lifelong appreciation of antiques, shaped by time spent in her grandmother’s antique shop, and she began making jewelry in 2010. Her signature collage necklaces turn vintage costume jewelry and old beads into wearable art, with each piece retaining the character of its decades-old components.IRWIN, PA