Complete manufacturing services, offering high-quality jewellery and giftware, along with exceptional personal service and support

About us

With our Headquarters based only 30 minutes from London, a Sales & Support Office in the USA and our own manufacturing plant located in Thailand, we are a family run business who has been established for over 47 years.

We are uniquely positioned to directly partner with Designers, Retailers and Wholesalers across the globe who trust us to develop, manufacture and supply their jewellery/giftware collections. The first step when producing your designs with us is evaluating if they fit within our production capability and if so, we start the Sampling process (set-up fees may apply). This assured by both our Accounts Managers at out Sales Offices and the Developing and Production Managers at the Manufacturing Plant. With our dedicated team of skilled Designers, Technicians and Crafts people we help you at every step of the process to bring your designs to life.

In 1975, Thai Design Distributors began by supplying jewellery to wholesalers, and over the last 30 years has expanded its offerings to include strict exclusivity for designers, developing their collections from initial design concept, through to sampling, production and delivery. We also have an extensive in-house collection for wholesalers and retailers.

We specialise in high-end sterling silver, gold and plated jewellery and giftware. Our success is largely attributable to outstanding quality and finishing. We also pride ourselves on the ethical standards related to working conditions, worker compensation and metal sourcing.

Kim, Managing Director and daughter of founders Lilia and Bill

Co-Founders Lilia & Bill at our head office in London back in 1981

What makes us different?

Headquarters and Sales Support Team based only 30 minutes from London, convenient for clients to visit us and discuss their projects.
Sales Office in the USA, dedicated to support our US and North American customers.
We’re the first company to import jewellery from Thailand to the UK.
We’ve always been family owned and now in our third generation.
In March 2019, we became a Fairmined Licensee, exclusively representing the first and only factory in Asia certified as a Fairmined authorised supplier.
We offer low minimum quantities, no minimum spend and can provide full assistance and product development.
You will have your own designated Account Manager in the UK helping and supporting you from start to finish.

The Teams

We have three international teams that work hand-in-hand to bring your products to life. Depending on where you are in the world, we will pair you with either our UK or US sales support team, who together with our own factory in Thailand, will help guide you through the development and manufacturing process of your jewellery with you. Our clients also often visit the factory with us to see first-hand how our production works and meet the teams who make it all happen.

United Kingdom

Thai Design was founded in London, a city which has a rich history in fashion and reputation for luxury and in 2022 relocated just out of London to Berkhamsted, a beautiful old market town in Hertfordshire. Enjoying both worlds of being in the countryside yet so close to London, makes us uniquely suited for designers/brands and an excellent hub for international travel, which is advantageous for an importing business. Our headquarters is conveniently located 30 minutes from London, allowing customers to visit us to discuss their ideas or see our sample range.

USA

The latest addition to our global family. Over the years we have been fortunate to pick up new customers in the US, Canada and Caribbean and so we chose to expand the business by opening a sales office in America to grow and better serve our customers. We recently opened an office in the Midwest to support the launch of our North American business, allowing us to reach customers in a wider range of geographies.

Thailand

The factory is fortunate to have a number of staff that have decades of experience and knowledge. Not only are they able to undertake some of the most intricate and challenging work, but they teach the younger staff so that there can be continuity for many years to come.

Our Manufacturing Plant

Sustainability and Ethics are important to us and our customers.

Since March 2019, Thai Design Distributors has been registered as a Fairmined licensee, exclusively representing the first and only factory in Asia certified as a Fairmined authorised supplier. Both Fairmined gold and silver can be sourced.

For those customers interested in ethical materials but not requiring Fairmined, recycled silver and gold is also an option.

April 2022 - Something different to our all new packaging!

As well as opting for bioplastic zip-locked bags that are both biodegradable and recyclable for all our packaging at our manufacturing plant in Thailand, Thai Design Distributors is proud to collaborate with another Thai owned business by using dried water hyacinth stalks as the alternative to bubble wrap.

Water hyacinths, an invasive plant found in water bodies, can block the sunlight which affects the ecosystem by; decreasing oxygen flow, degrading water quality, slowing down water flow, as well as affecting various lifeforms in the ecosystem. It’s therefore commonly removed to reduce these effects.

As well as being highly sustainable and eco-friendly, our dried water hyacinth stalks are super light-weight and great for cushioning/padding within our parcels (they also have a nice earthy scent!)

Ethical Standards

We ensure there is full transparency with regards to how we operate. Here are some of our key standards and conditions we adhere to:

All workers are fairly paid and earn more than the minimum wage.

New workers often are paid minimum wage during their initial probation period (110 days).
Most workers are given a year-end bonus (roughly half a month’s salary on average in 2019) –generally, only new workers are not given a bonus.
All workers are given an hour lunch break and two 15 minute breaks each day.
An eye care assistance program has been established, offering any interested workers free eye checks and subsidized prescription eyeglasses.
Air-conditioning is available in all dedicated production rooms, as well as the office.
New, ergonomic chairs were given to each employee recently, as part of continued investment in employee welfare.
An encouragement for other family members wishing to train or work when they are eligible to, so many workers have other relatives in other departments (son, brother, sister, mother or father) in order to keep the family feel throughout.
In March 2019, the plant also became a Fairmined licensee, allowing us to currently be the only manufacturer exclusively in Asia certified as a Fairmined (in silver and gold) authorised supplier.

Tour

The exterior of the building is kept clean and tidy. Employee housing is provided in the rear of the property.Additionally, there is a meeting room that is more commonly used for karaoke, a small play area for children, & even a basketball court.

The factory has a large garden, which includes a pond. Ducks and chickens are looked after by the factory staff and the grounds are taken care of by a gardener (that helps out with bangle polishing).

While most of the building hasn’t changed much over the last few years, there are plans to create additional polishing and assembly rooms in the near future. We are fortunate that there is room to grow.

Our Clients

Although our client list is strictly confidential many of the products which we produce are sold at retail in some of the premium department stores below:

Thai Design has been a key partner for our business from Day One. They developed our first collection and have been our go-to manufacturer ever since. We haven’t found anything comparable for the quality and finish of the jewellery. The care and attention to detail is clear, and we have confidence that every piece received will be excellent. But it’s the collaborative approach we value most. From concept to fulfillment, there is support at every step of the way and we look forward to going to them with new ideas.” - Client with online website specialising in personalising jewellery and giftware

To put it simply, since we have worked with Thai Design, for over a decade now, our business have become more profitable. They have help us to innovate and push jewellery boundaries. No project has been too big or small and always with a professional and familiar approach from Kim and the team that we find hard to rival elsewhere.” - Client owning multiple retail stores , in addition to various strong brands and websites

We have worked with this firm for several years and have found their products to be of very good quality. They have also made several designs to our specification, which we have been very pleased with.” - Client with online website specialising in lockets

Excellent service, fantastic finish, and amazing value for money!” - A designer and sculptor of animals

Thai Design are a breath of fresh air and a real pleasure to work with. We have been working together for a number of years and they are nothing short of incredible. From ordering simple stock items to complex new designs, they are always on hand to offer they support whenever needed. The quality of the goods received is always first class, and dispatch notifications are clear too. From experience with other suppliers, Account management can often be an issue, but Thai Design handle this really well too; they are truly professional and on hand to help with any potential issues, adding the personal touch in communications too. Keep up the good work team!” - Client offering personalised silver and gold jewellery

Over the many years we have worked with Thai Design we continue to be impressed with the all round excellent service we receive. Delivery is always timely and the quality of the products is just perfect, also very friendly and helpful to deal with! We hope to continue our close relationship for many more years to come, thank you for all your hard work” - Client brand specialising in silver giftware/silverware

Stages of Production

Our long standing experience over generations and continual investment in research and innovation across design, trend, sustainability and technical terms, has meant we have been able to combine these elements with the traditional craft which is so deep rooted in our company. The key processes involved in jewellery making are detailed below.

Casting

Creating and filling rubber moulds

The casting process begins with the creation of a mould from a metal master or a resin model. Each expertly crafted mould is owned by the customer and safely stored to ensure that exclusivity is always maintained. When an order is placed, the corresponding mould is filled with high-performance wax, set aside, and then delicately opened to remove a perfect wax copy. A ‘tree’ is then very precisely built-up of select pieces to ensure the best possible results. Investment material is added to a flask around the tree, heated in a large furnace, and then vacuum cast to exact specification. Finally, each piece is cleaned and carefully inspected before being passed to the next department on the way to completion.

Stamping

Mixing and Melting | Rolling silver sheets to be stamped

While casting is generally preferable for smaller, more intricate, and/or deeper three-dimensional designs, stamping may be a more suitable alternative for other pieces. Metal blocks are cast, rolled to the required thickness, and then cut to size for efficient stamping, all of which is done in-house. A towering die-cast stamping machine is available for deeper pieces, but more traditional, hand-cranked machines are also utilized and give the factory considerable flexibility. Each stamped component is carefully inspected before being handed over for assembly and finishing.

Assembly

Putting the pieces together

A variety of tasks are done in Assembly. T-bars, bails, hinges, and other components are precisely soldered together.

Stone-cutting

Shells and stones can be cut to size in house. Large blocks of stone and full shells are first roughly cut on a wet saw. Each cut piece is then shaped and ground down under an abrasive wheel. The shell or stone is then added to the metal design and shaped slightly more (if required), until an excellent fit is achieved.

Polishing

Beyond high-polish

A team of polishers apply the final flourishes to achieve the desired finish (typically, high-polish). Pieces can either be polished by hand or placed in an automated machine.

Stone/Engraving

By hand using traditional methods

Gems are expertly set and complex patterns engraving patterns are all done by hand at the factory.

Gold Room

Dedicated area for gold production

Gold production is separated from silver production, because of the importance and value of waste recovery.

Materials

Beyond Commodities

The factory invests in high-quality alloys and cuts stones & shells by hand. A deep knowledge and respect of one’s raw materials is essential to achieve optimal results. Impeccable jewellery would not be possible without excellent materials. The team is also experienced in dealing with Fairmined and recycled silver, as well as Argentium.

Guidebook

A broad range of skills, high quality of craftsmanship and a flexible approach allow us to meet customers’ expectations, while encouraging creativity. This is achieved through a variety of completion options we offer, please see our factory’s Skills and Capability Guidebook.

In-House Collection

We offer an extensive and continuously updated in-house range built-up from decades of selling to wholesalers and retailers. These pieces can be bought as they are, though in most cases they can also be modified, and are often used to inspire new creations that can be made exclusively for you. We find that the range is one of the best ways to illustrate the quality of the manufacturing we facilitate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I’m a jewellery designer and I’d like to have my pieces developed with you. What is your process? Can I see and approve samples before I confirm an order?

A: We’re constantly working with wonderful new designers. First and foremost, we would be happy to sign and date an NDA for your peace of mind before any designs are discussed or released to us. We would then establish at what stage you are in on your product development – i.e. sketches, CADs, resins, masters, moulds or samples as we can work with any of these stages. We’re used to working with established silversmiths who sends us masters/samples/moulds and therefore we’re able to start samples straight away, otherwise some time and costs will be incurred if customers can only provide initial sketches or ideas. If it’s the latter, there are initial fees on the development but these all depend on what stage you are at. Together with our factory team, we will work out the most cost efficient and quickest way to get samples developed for you in order for your approval before placing an order. More importantly, we feel that our honest and transparent communication is key to us servicing our customers.

Q: Can you source precious/semi previous/other materials or components that we want incorporated into our jewellery?

A: Our Purchasing Officer is used to sourcing various stones/materials/components for our customers, see some examples below:

Semi-precious stone (amethyst, peridot, citrine etc) and precious stones (diamonds, sapphires, rubies etc).

Granite, turquoise, onyx, all shells (mother of pearls), resin, wood, opals, sea-glass etc. Our high skilled workers would then cut, polish and set these materials into the jewellery pieces.

Please view our Guidebook for more information on the factory’s capabilities.

Note that some of our customer prefer to use or supply their own stones/materials/components. Again this works well for us as they simply send their items to the Berkhamsted office where we will arrange shipment to the factory. We would charge only the labour for setting that stone/material.

Q: Can you produce my designs from start to finish, including polishing and are you able assemble my jewellery with chains?

A: We are able to provide the complete start to finish process including an immense range of chains. Some customers prefer to assemble some pieces at their studio which is fine for us. We’re very flexible and can work to whatever the customer requires.

Q: What brands you produce for?
A: Unfortunately, we keep our clients names/brands strictly confidential and cannot be disclosed anywhere for reference. However, we’re proud that over 45 years our customers have grown their company/brand immensely whether through their own website or store(s). Many well known brands are successfully found in high end department stores such John Lewis, Liberty, Selfridges, Harrods, Nordstrom (US).

Q: I’m a retailer and looking to add some jewellery into my range without designing any new pieces from scratch. Do you have a range of design pieces that I can just order from you?

A: We have an extensive in house range that you can order from and amend any stones/components within the designs to make it more customised to your needs. Please view our In-House Collection to see some of the range that we offer to all our clients.

Q: Do you keep stock?
A: We do not keep stock, even for order from our In-House Range, everything is made to orders.

Q: Can I visit your factory?
A: Yes, we believe it is important for our customers to have full confidence in us, as their supplier, and are able to see how their designs are produced as well as have the opportunity to go through any new design collections/projects. We’re used to this way of working since our business began. Visits are always pre-arranged with our Managing Director.

Q: Do you supply gold-filled jewellery?

A: Presently, we do not supply gold filled jewellery at the moment. We supply only gold-plating as the manufacturing process is completely different for gold filled.

Q: What will be the shipping charges be and how do you deal with customs?

A: All shipping charges from our factory to Berkhamsted are included in the unit price of each jewellery piece and so there are no hidden or added charges/costs. The only shipping charge you will need to pay will be from our Berkhamsted office to yourself (charges are minimal). Please note that we cannot be held responsible for any customs charges occurred in your destination country.

Q: What are your Terms & conditions?
A: You can view a copy of our official terms & conditions here: Thai Design - Terms & Conditions