Artful Alchemy hats are designed to be as sustainable as possible, and as affordable as possible. For this reason I often acquire top quality second-hand hats and transform them into something special! Sometimes hats are new. The grading system (below, and in each listing) will allow you to understand the quality and price of each hat.

Please note that second-hand hats may have slight signs of wear commensurate with some degree of use. However, I select items to alchemise based on the fact that signs of wear are already minimal. Anything noteworthy will be itemised in the ‘Imperfections’ section and shown in the photographs if visible, but please do not expect your item to be “off the shelf” perfect. However, if it’s listed as having “no signs of wear” you shouldn’t be able to tell the difference from a new hat!

Likewise, my items are hand-crafted, not factory made, so you may occasionally be able to find small signs of my craftwork, like stitching inside the hat or holding adornments in place. My hats can sometimes be tricky to customise and don’t follow a set design plan, so they are not about seamless perfection, but originality and colourful expression. The actual hats are not handmade (at least not by me) but all other aspects of the design are.

The adornments on the hats are usually repurposed, but the trim used is always brand new. Feathers are either found in nature or sourced from ethical vendors.

Hats are graded as follows:

Grade A1: A brand new hat OR a second-hand or new designer hat made of wool/felt.

Grade A2: A second-hand, high-quality wool/felt hat with higher grade decoration, no signs of wear.

Grade B1: A second-hand wool/felt hat that may have slight signs of wear

Grade B2: A new or second-hand polyester hat with higher grade decoration, no signs of wear.

Grade C: A second-hand polyester hat, may have signs of wear.

The pricing of each hat directly correlates to the grading of the hat. Higher grade decoration refers to more expensive/rare feathers, jewels, adornments or trims. For example, vintage brooches.

The pricing of each item reflects several factors: the quality and cost of the materials and packaging, the uniqueness of the item, my creative skills and of course my time and effort.

My jewellery items are all handmade but some may have second-hand or repurposed elements, such as pendants or items taken from other pieces of jewellery, whether those were brand new or second hand. All glass beads and 925 silver beads are brand new, and all fixings are new unless otherwise stated.

Earring hooks are always brand new and unused and are made from stainless steel. All rings, bracelets and necklaces are made using 925 silver beads and the highest quality glass beads. Earrings decorations are not made with 925 silver beads unless otherwise stated. They are made from glass beads of different types.

Jewellery beads and fixings are brand new, but pendants and charms may be either new or repurposed; they are new unless stated as repurposed. Please note that repurposed elements may occasionally have very slight imperfections but these will not be noticeable and anything noteworthy will be stated. Pendants are made from various materials, from 925 and 950 silver to 18 carat gold dipped or stainless steel. Listings will indicate such details if they are known.

Clasps are made from stainless steel (sometimes rainbow stainless steel) rather than silver, in order to keep the prices as reasonable as possible.

My rings are made from durable jewellers elastic cord so they have a little bit of give and can stretch a little. However, they are delicate by design and have been made to fit approximately a 5.5 to 6cm circumference, so if your fingers larger than this, the elastic will be stressed and is likely to break. If you require a different size, please contact me and I can arrange to make a custom design for you.

Please remember to keep your silver beads shiny and fresh by polishing them every so often with a silver cloth.

I can arrange to make a custom order for you if you have a design preference in mind. Feel free to take inspiration from any items you see on my site, or elsewhere, and I will do my best to match your vision. Please bear in mind that that the final style will depend on what materials I have access to, as my stock acquisition strategy is largely opportunistic and can’t really be planned!

You will pay the same price as I would charge for the item in my shop, and this will be agreed in advance. If you see something you like and would like me to make something similar, please email me and we can discuss options. I do not charge for custom designing, as I am happy to make the design for you. I only ask for a small deposit, but there is no obligation to take the item if you don’t want to.

My hats are shipped from the UK to the UK only because of the risk of damage to hat packaging.

Jewellery can be sent overseas. Please contact me if you are overseas and wish to purchase something from the jewellery range. I will let you know the postage and send you a payment link.

Items will be shipped in recycled packaging if available. Due to the custom sizing of hats, it may be necessary to use new packaging in order to preserve the integrity of the hat.

Items are shipped Tracked 48 Royal Mail as standard, but can be shipped Tracked 24 if required.

Customer satisfaction is important to me and if there is an issue with your purchase I will always do my best to help resolve it.

Rings, bracelets and necklaces: These items may be returned within 14 days of receipt provided that they are unworn, in their original condition. The buyer must pay for the postage for returns and exchanges.

Hats and earrings: Each item is hand-made (or hand-customised in the case of hats) and totally unique. Purchases of hats and earrings are non-returnable and non-refundable. Earrings cannot be returned for hygiene reasons. Your statutory rights are not affected.

Please ensure that the item you are purchasing is in the desired style and that the internal circumference is the correct size for your head, wrist or finger.