Handmade Dreams Meet Imported Realities in Jewellery Trade

Jan 24 , 2026. By MEKDELAWIT MELAKU ( FORTUNE STAFF WRITER )

Despite Ethiopia’s rich history of adornment and craftsmanship, today’s jewellery market is a patchwork of modern hustle, tradition, and economic strain, held together by creativity, social media, and the dependence of small producers. Their stories represent a growing cohort of young Ethiopians overcoming a complex marketplace that rewards ingenuity more than academic pedigree, reports MEKDELAWIT MELAKU, FORTUNE STAFF WRITER.

Armed with 12,000 Br and a flair for the unconventional, Addishiywet Ermiyas, 28, embodies a new breed of jewellery makers. Her medium, epoxy resin, glitter, and paint, requires little beyond craft and creativity.

An undergraduate in management with a postgraduate degree in business administration, Addishiywet Habesha Queen Jewellery offers handmade earrings priced from 200 Br to 300 Br, appealing to younger buyers seeking individuality on a budget. Though the entry barrier is low in capital, it is high in persistence.

Inputs start at 200 Br, sourced from both local and foreign suppliers, but can reach 7,000 Br depending on the quantity and type. In four years, Addishiywet has become one of the more recognised makers of epoxy earrings. For her, success depended more on discipline than credentials.

“Entry is difficult," she said, "especially in a crowded space where persistence often outweighs formal education.”

For many artisans, the real impediment is breaking through the noise on social media, where visibility determines viability.

Another businesswoman, Tufa Abdurahman, co-owns Nara’s Jewellery with her sister despite her studies of law. The business, marking its first anniversary in December, draws inspiration from blacksmithing traditions but uses precious stones, stainless steel, brass, and silver. Tufa began with an initial capital of 30,000 Br. The business sources locally polished stones and imports other components from neighbouring countries and the Far East, selling pieces priced between 200 Br and 2,000 Br.

Holiday sales have softened compared to last year.

“Christmas usually fuels demand for symbolic and distinctive gifts, yet this season has been quieter,” she said.

Rising input costs have pushed prices higher even as orders have slowed. Most sales now occur on TikTok, a leading social media platform owned by the Chinese technology company ByteDance, with monthly active users worldwide reaching two billion.

This shift to digital commerce has altered the market.

For millennia, people have adorned themselves with materials at hand. Modern Ethiopia’s jewellery market reflects both the legacy of traditions and the push of new trends. The democratisation of materials and production methods has opened the field, allowing nearly anything, from emeralds and gold to iron, bronze, diamonds, rubies, and even rope, to appear in jewellery cases. Advances in epoxy resin have allowed makers to produce custom pieces in any shape or colour, bypassing old methods of melting and carving.

Small-scale producers, often operating from home, create self-designed and hand-painted items ready for sale in days, serving customers entirely online. Where the market once depended on in-person transactions, craftspeople now rely heavily on social media and content creators to attract buyers and meet sales goals. The shift to online platforms is accelerating, driven by the growing importance of digital platforms.

Offering presents, now an expected part of the season, drives demand for jewellery that serves as a symbolic link to the recipient’s personality.

For buyers, shopping online introduces its own issues. According to Blen Hailu, who bought jewellery for the holidays, delivery fees often inflate final prices. She observed some sellers fold delivery into the cost, others charge separately, and a few waive it altogether.

“In the jewellery market, the uniqueness of the product always dictates the final price,” Blen said.

Eshe Jewellery & Antique Shop, run by Fekade Haile, who has worked in the trade for 25 years, illustrated the challenges faced by artisans. As the only vendor offering handcrafted accessories at the Millennium Hall, on Africa Avenue (Bole Road), Fekade depends on scarce input supplies, often dismantling finished pieces to create new designs. Many items cannot be reproduced because supplies are limited.

“The unavailability of inputs has made the market waver through the years,” he said.

To offset losses, prices rise, steering customers toward imported goods. Fekade mostly sells to close friends and from his own shop.

“I plan to put my products online, but I haven't yet since I work alone and the schedule is tight,” he said.

In person, vendors may lower prices to avoid losing a sale. Rings and earrings start at 500 Br, while antique bracelets can cost up to 3,000 Br. Women are the primary buyers, looking to stand out at family gatherings, with earrings remaining the most popular item year-round, bought by men as gifts and by women for themselves.

Betelhem Kassu, 24, another customer who studied managment at the Addis Abeba University, recalled how prices for imported and handmade jewellery go up within the few consecutive days approaching the holiday. After receiving several gifts, she returned to the same vendor at the bazaar held during the January of last year to buy one for herself, only to find prices had nearly doubled.

“Whole piece items have always been very expensive," she said. "But, during holidays, their price nearly doubles.”

Despite the convenience of online shopping, many buyers still prefer the atmosphere of bazaars during the holidays. Prices at these events vary, as some vendors increase prices to cover rent while others lower margins to attract customers. Bright lights, loudspeakers, clown acts, and circus troupes add to the spectacle, drawing crowds to bazaars and exhibitions across the city, where white traditional clothing is accented with affordable, shiny accessories.

Still, some shoppers are discouraged by high prices. One corner at the Millennium Hall, crowded with gemstones, buttons, necklaces, crucifixes, and rings for all genders, sees plenty of interest but few buyers.

Beyond sales, Eshe Jewellery also restores damaged pieces and collects antiques, though demand is weak.

Importers, meanwhile, are thriving. At another corner, Maymuna Mulu, a salesperson at Abarte Jewellery, displayed necklaces, rings, keychains, and earrings imported from China. These items benefit from lower production costs abroad, even as importers add markups to account for taxes.

“Rings sell for the price of a chicken, yet customers still gather,” said Maymuna.

The cheapest items started at 1,000 Br, rising with size and detail. Shops like Fert’ Jewellery and Diva Jewellery confirm that customers continue to favour imports despite higher prices. Diva Jewellery imports from Dubai and China, where materials are more available.

Buyers of imported jewellery cite the price gap as a factor. Online platforms such as Shein and Fashion Nova pull customers away from local artisans. Stainless-steel earrings imported from abroad are selling in large volumes locally, and prices per item are at least 300 Br higher than last year.

According to Mustafa Abdelah, an economist and business consultant at Zafer Plus Business & Investment Consultancy Services, the sector’s dependence on imports.

“The market shows a heavy reliance on imports of jewellery, beads, threads, and other accessories from China and other Asian markets,” he said.

Non-essential goods, such as jewellery, are imported in volumes far exceeding exports, uncovering a shift away from local craftsmanship. Imitation jewellery values have fluctuated, accounting for an even smaller share of 0.011pc total merchandise imports estimated at 17 billion dollars in 2023. But most spending is concentrated on imports from China and Thailand, especially for necklaces, rings, bracelets, and earrings.

China has emerged as the fastest-growing source of imitation jewellery, with exports to Ethiopia rising by about 1.52 million dollars between 2022 and 2023. The United Kingdom (UK) and a handful of other countries also feature, with UK imitation jewellery exports increasing by over 200,000 dollars during the same period.

Ethiopia imported an estimated 82.9 million dollars' worth of jewellery in the same year, according to trade data compiled from international reporting sources. Imports of precious-metal jewellery and parts were modest, at about 2.43 million dollars. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) shipped about 122,508Kg of silver jewellery to Ethiopia, valued at six million dollars.

Mustafa observed that despite the abundance and low prices, quality is inconsistent. Many of the inputs they use are imported from foreign platforms that supply their competitors.

“Artisans report difficulty finding locally produced beads in traditional colours and sizes, as well as decorative elements like shells, seeds, and stones that feature in regional designs,” Mustafa said. “The system connecting input producers with jewellery makers remains underdeveloped.”

Efforts to strengthen local supply chains have stumbled under financial pressures. Even when domestic supplies exist, prices often exceed those of imports, pushing makers back to foreign sources.

Policy support is limited. The strategic plan for the gemstone and jewellery sector, which extends through 2029, exists but does not directly target jewellers or set specific protections and timelines for local craftspeople.

“Traditional jewellery making represents a living cultural heritage that could disappear within a generation if current market conditions persist,” Mustafa warned. “Urgent action with clear milestones is essential to ensure these skills and traditions survive for future Ethiopians.”

PUBLISHED ON Jan 24,2026 [ VOL 26 , NO 1343]