Of all the word combinations you would never imagine hearing, “breastmilk jewellery” is probably one of them.
And yet despite how mind-boggling the term might sound, there is a surprisingly high demand for this product among mothers in Singapore.
What is equally surprising, however, is the craftsman behind the gorgeous accessory — 32-year-old Andrew Lim, who is also the founder of local keepsake jewellery brand Apart.sg.
Image courtesy of Andrew
Andrew started his brand two years ago, choosing to specialise in end-of-life jewellery made from ashes of the departed.
He only recently decided to provide breastmilk-infused keepsakes after much trial and error and most importantly, careful thought.
In a sit-down interview with MS News at his studio, Andrew said that he could have easily offered the service from the start. However, he chose not to.
Mothers would think I am just in it for the money, because what can a man know about breastfeeding?
So began his journey in understanding the intricacies of start-of-life jewellery, and what such keepsakes mean to new mums.
Like the rest of us who were baffled by the idea, Andrew started out not comprehending the concept of breastmilk jewellery.
While he learnt about the product once he started Apart.sg, he had no intentions of providing the service.
“When I first heard about breastmilk jewellery, it took me a long time to wrap my head around it. Maybe it’s because I am a guy, and I’m not a parent,” he said. “And I am someone who wouldn’t sell something I didn’t believe in.”
Nonetheless, a year after he launched the brand, Andrew started receiving inquiries about breastmilk jewellery which he turned down as he had no know-how.
When requests kept coming in regardless, he started looking into the local breastmilk jewellery market.
“That’s when I found out that most providers used resin in their products,” he explained. “While resins are beautiful to look at, most of them discolour after some time, even the premium grade ones.”
As a craftsman specialising in end-of-life products, resin was a material he discarded early on.
Image courtesy of Andrew
“When people make end-of-life products, they generally want it to last permanently,” he said.
Andrew has since tirelessly worked to ensure the durability of his jewellery out of respect for the deceased.
However, he now realised that new mums in Singapore — who wished to memorialise the early days of their motherhood journey — also sought such quality.
“That’s when I realised that this market deserves better. The service of this line can be a lot better,” he said.
As a former underwater photographer, Andrew is more than familiar with the concept of capturing a single, fleeting moment.
After speaking to breastfeeding mothers, he understood that such keepsakes are “about capturing a phase of life that is unique and special to mothers”.
Jewellery is something tangible that mothers can physically hold on to for the rest of their lives, immortalising the intimate journey.
Children will grow up to become adults, but the accessories will always be a reminder of the times when they could easily fit in mum’s arms.
Image courtesy of Andrew
That being said, while breastfeeding can be a loving experience, some mothers’ journeys might have been arduous.
Throughout the period, complications such as sore nipples, fungal infection, and engorgement can happen, which can cause mothers a lot of pain and distress.
For these mothers, breastmilk jewellery holds a very different type of celebratory value.
“These mothers see the jewellery as a trophy,” Andrew explained with mirth.
Adorably, some fathers have also approached him to have breastmilk jewellery crafted as gifts for their wives.
Andrew is fully aware that some may think it’s odd that a man is working on such jewellery.
“It is simply strange to send your breastmilk to a guy whom you don’t know,” he stated matter-of-factly.
This is why Andrew takes due care to build trust with his customers and provide services that are a cut above the rest — even inviting every single customer to his studio before placing an order.
He also documents the process to assure customers that the breastmilk has truly been infused in the jewellery.
Image courtesy of Andrew
Andrew did not take any shortcuts when it came to making memorial jewellery, and this shows in the brand’s perfect 5-star review on Google.
At the time of writing, more than a hundred customers have attested to his empathy and quality of service.
For him, it was essential that he first established Apart.sg as a trusted brand through end-of-life products.
“For end-of-life services, people are very concerned about cross-contamination, the ashes going missing, whether the ashes really go into the jewellery, and so on,” he explained.
Andrew has since convincingly positioned himself as someone who handles materials entrusted to him with utmost sensitivity and care.
Image courtesy of Andrew
Having said that, expanding his services into breastmilk surgery was not easy, and Andrew took six months to research and develop the process of making breastmilk jewellery.
“It wasn’t just testing two different versions A and B. It was more like testing everything from A to like…J,” he chuckled.
Especially since breastmilk is a consumable, he had to let each experiment run its course to find out if the milk will mold or spoil in the process of making the jewellery.
He started the experimentations with supermarket milk, and was able to finalise the technique using breastmilk given by his friends who were breastfeeding.
The entire process starts at the kitchen stoves where he will first heat the milk and add preservatives to prevent it from molding later on.
He then moves on to solidify the milk, which will turn into flakes first, before grinding it down to a powder.
Image courtesy of Andrew
“With the powder, I then create a cement-like paste and infuse it into the jewellery,” he explained while gesturing to a piece of breastmilk jewellery.
Andrew successfully crafted the first piece of breastmilk jewellery half a year ago, and as of last month has officially started offering the service on his website.
As the business grew and Apart.sg’s name started spreading more, making memorial jewellery has become Andrew’s full-time job.
When asked if he plans to continue the line of business, his answer was an enthusiastic and resounding “yes”.
“At the end of the day, I am not selling jewellery. I am selling the idea of making a moment in time tangible,” he said.
He also notes that as families are getting smaller, and many couples are opting to stop at one child, if any at all.
“You have one chance to breastfeed,” he emphasised.
“I think it will definitely be something you want to remember and hold on to.”
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image courtesy of Andrew.
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