Fashion jewelry stocklots

	Mainland China-based Sunshine's 20 designers release 200 styles monthly. One of the latest releases is model N06-533, a necklace, bracelet and ring set that features glass beads and faux pearls.

Foreign designers and subscription to trend-forecasting services are enabling suppliers to release fashion-forward styles.

Beaded jewelry manufacturers in mainland China, Taiwan and India are taking inspiration from their major markets in developing fresh, on-trend designs.

Companies are sending their R&D teams to international trade shows in order to observe market and product trends. They are also hiring or working with designers from countries where most of their buyers are located to gain a better understanding of clients' needs.

Moreover, some companies are investing in trend-forecasting services that provide direction on colors, materials and motifs for each season.

For their spring and summer releases, suppliers in the mainland are incorporating a wider palette of colors such as rose red, red, light green, light yellow and sky blue. Elements of white are added to tone down or complement the range.

Acrylic, glass, CCB, resin and wooden beads are often used in designs. The beads come in bold geometric shapes such as oval, square, diamond, bar and round. Figural charms are adopted as well, including miniaturized versions of flowers, leaves, birds, insects, fruit and vegetables.

The beads and charms are strung on lead and tin alloy, brass, sterling silver or zinc alloy chains, or on cotton or polyester yarn.

Taiwan companies are adopting large, brightly colored beads in floral or geometric patterns for designs targeted at North America. Models for export to Europe come in simpler styles and feature smaller beads strung on gold- or silver-electroplated chains.

Although suppliers are continuing to use conventional materials such as plastic, wood and metal, an increasing number of companies are now adopting alternatives that are said to have spiritual and healing properties.

Rose quartz crystals, for example, have a gentle energy that is believed to soothe negative influences on an emotional level. Citrine, on the other hand, stimulates the body's healing energies and promotes self-discipline.

Hematite is being adopted for its ability to aid blood circulation and improve memory.

Iron that is electroplated in gold or silver is the most commonly used type of metal for the chain, with brass employed mainly on high-end designs. Leather cord is adopted on some models as well.

India suppliers are adopting a multitude of materials that are often combined in varying shapes, designs, sizes, colors and textures. These include bone, horn, wood, resin, brass, copper, aluminum and white metal. Some models even employ knotted fabric or spun yarn beads. Silk and viscose are often used for the latter.

	For this year, Images of India focuses on multistrand necklaces and bracelets. One such design, model II-20, has seed and glass beads strung on silk-thread cord.

Zursana Jewelry Co. Ltd can turn out 200,000 pieces of beaded jewelry each month. The in-house R&D team of 15 designers and 40 pattern and sample makers releases 200 buyer-specified styles monthly.

The company plans to boost R&D spending by 10 percent so that it can reduce product development lead time and increase monthly releases by 50 percent.

Apart from heightened R&D spending, Zursana invested more than $50,000 in an air purifying system, which can turn dust in the polishing workshop into water.

Sunshine Fashion Accessory Co. Ltd has 20 designers and 20 pattern and sample makers in its R&D team. Up to 200 original styles are released each month. Sampling takes one week.

HK Yida Accessories Co. Ltd has two US-based R&D consultants that provide updates on industry and product trends. About 1,500 designs are launched monthly.

EE Costume Jewelry Co. Ltd's five designers attend trade shows and subscribe to international fashion and jewelry magazines. They turn out around 200 new models each month. To boost capability, the company is planning to double the number of designers by year-end.

In Taiwan, D-Max Enterprise Co. Ltd has six designers that use crystals, rhinestones, and glass and acrylic beads in releases. The company exports to France, Italy, Greece, the UK, Spain and Poland. To ensure on-trend styles, it subscribes to fashion magazines from these countries. Production is carried out at a mainland facility in Dongguan, Guangdong province.

A supplier of Bohemian crystal and gemstone jewelry, Advance Jewel International Co. Ltd has around 30 designers working mainly on releasing ODM models. Healing crystals are incorporated in some styles.

Instead of hiring a design team, Patoli Industrial Co. Ltd works with local jewelry artisans in developing new models. Many of the company's beaded jewelry use hematine, a mixed material of natural hematite and resin.

Bright-Sunrise Trading Co. Ltd focuses on OEM models that are made of crystals, rhinestones, and glass and acrylic beads.

Among the India suppliers in this report, Argup International has two designers from Norway in its R&D team. It also uses the service of WGSN, a company providing research, trend analysis and news on the fashion and design industries. More than 100 in-house models are released each month. Depending on material availability, samples can be finished in as fast as one day.

Needle Craft invests 20 percent of annual sales in its five-member R&D team, which includes a designer from France. The team works with wholesalers from France, Spain and Poland in product development. In a year, four collections of 600 to 700 designs each are released.

Similarly, 20 to 25 percent of Basant Exports' annual turnover is allocated to its two-designer R&D team. Between 50 and 100 models are released monthly.

Images International's two-person R&D team has released multistrand necklaces and bracelets made of seed, shell and glass beads strung on silk-thread cord. Some of the beads have multiple facets or are inset with gold or silver foil.