Start-up spotlight: DIY company Darby Smart partners with JewelMint
The do-it-yourself trend has taken off recently, helped by the popularity of such sites as Pinterest and Etsy that showcase people’s personal crafting projects.
Start-up Darby Smart is capitalizing on that and this summer launched a website to sell simple DIY kits for at-home projects including feather-topped drink stirrers, ‘20s-inspired headbands and monogrammed tote bags. The San Francisco company works with designers to create the crafting kits, which come with materials such as paint and glue, as well as instructions.
“We’re seeing a movement toward greater participation in every part of our lives,” Darby Smart co-founder Nicole Shariat Farb said in an interview. “What we see on Darby Smart is people want to participate in the fashion and design process and when given the tools to succeed at it, they really enjoy it.”
Darby Smart’s crafting kits cost $25 to $45 including shipping.
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On Friday, Darby Smart announced a partnership with JewelMint, the jewelry arm of Santa Monica e-commerce company BeachMint. The local jewelry brand will provide two of its bracelets, a silver cuff and a gold cuff, to be used in five of Darby Smart’s DIY kits.
Shoppers who buy the kits will be able to add embellishments such as spikes, glitter and rhinestones to JewelMint’s bracelets. The included instructions can be followed exactly or just used as a general guideline, Farb said.
“With great starting pieces, you can come out with a style piece that’s all your own,” she said.
Darby Smart and JewelMint are operating the partnership as a revenue split, although executives from both companies declined to provide specific details.
The cuff kits cost $30 for JewelMint members and $34 on Darby Smart’s website. Each project takes less than an hour to complete.
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