Safely ship your memorial jewelry

Perhaps you are reading this with a small amount of ashes before you on the table. Or with a lock of hair, or a tuft of soft fur from the animal that lay beside you for years... It often feels surreal to let go of something so precious. To put it in an envelope and entrust it to the post.

I understand that feeling very well, so I will guide you through it gently, step by step. So that you know what you need, how to pack everything safely, and what happens as soon as your envelope arrives at my studio.

In short: you pack the ashes, hair, or fur in two well-sealed ziplock bags, place them in a bubble envelope, and send it by registered mail. This way, you can track the envelope along the way, and it will only be delivered against a signature.

For me, your jewelry begins the moment you seal that envelope. I want that moment to be as gentle and careful as possible 🤍

What you need

You don't really need anything special; you probably already have most of it at home, and if not, you can find it at the supermarket or a PostNL point.

• Two small, high-quality ziplock bags, for example freezer bags with a sturdy zipper
• A clean teaspoon or a small scoop
• A sheet of white paper or a saucer to work on
• A small piece of adhesive tape
• A bubble envelope, A5 or slightly larger
• A note with your name, your order number, and, if you wish, the name of your loved one

Allow yourself the time for this moment. Some people light a candle, put out a photo, or do it together with someone they love. There is no right or wrong way. It can be exactly as it feels right for you. Feel free to also include a photo of your loved one. I will keep it with your jewelry when I begin working on it.

How much ash do I need?

Only a very small amount is needed for a piece of jewelry. Half a teaspoon is more than enough. I use only a small part of that in the glass. What remains, I will carefully return to you.

So you do not need to send the urn, nor do you need to open it completely. If you already have the ashes at home, carefully scoop a small amount out of the urn or ash box. Do you find that too difficult? Then you can ask your funeral director, the crematorium, or the pet crematorium to set aside a small amount for you.

Sending hair or fur

Not everyone has ashes, or wants to use them. I can also incorporate a lock of hair or a little fur from your pet into the glass. It is something very personal: the hair you touched so often, the fur you let your hand glide through.

• A small tuft that you can hold between your index finger and thumb, at least 1 cm long, is enough.
• Make sure the hair or fur is completely dry before you pack it, so that it stays beautiful along the way.
• Cut off a small lock, for example from a less visible spot. Do you have a kept lock or a hairbrush from your loved one? A small amount of that can also be enough.
• Fur from your pet. A tuft from the brush or a small piece that you carefully cut off both work for me. For many people, the fur of a beloved pet is a precious memory.
• The color of the hair / fur is not visible in the glass; it is turned into small air bubbles.
  

You pack hair and fur in exactly the same way as ashes: in two sealed bags, in a bubble envelope, and send it by registered mail.

How to pack everything step by step

1. Find a quiet place. Choose a table away from drafts, not in the bathroom or kitchen where it is damp. Lay down a sheet of white paper. If a grain falls beside it, you will see it immediately and can carefully put it back.
2. Fill the first bag. Let the ashes gently slide into the first ziplock bag with a clean teaspoon, or carefully place the hair or fur inside. Gently press the air out and close the zipper completely. Run your fingers over it twice to make sure it is closed.
3. Fold and tape. Fold the top edge over and, if necessary, place another small piece of adhesive tape over it.
4. A second bag around it. Put the first bag inside the second and close that one well too. This double layer ensures that nothing is lost, even if the envelope gets bumped along the way.
5. Write who it is from. Use a permanent marker to write your name and order number on the outside bag. You can also write the name of your loved one on it. This way, I will know from the very first moment who I have in my hands.
6. Include your note. Write your name, order number, email address, and the design you have chosen on a note. Would you like to tell me something about your loved one? I always read that with care.
7. In the bubble envelope. Place the bag and the note in the envelope. The air cushions absorb bumps. Seal the envelope properly.
8. Address the envelope. For this, you received instructions from me after your order. Do not forget to put your own address as the sender on the back.

Small things you can easily forget

• Multiple loved ones in one envelope? Then use a separate double bag for each one and clearly write who it is from on each bag. This way, everything stays separate.
• Keep some for yourself too. Only send the amount that is needed. Keep the rest safely at home.
• No glass and no loose ashes. Never send ashes in a glass jar, as it can break along the way, and never loose in an envelope or paper bag.
• Send at the beginning of the week. An envelope that you send on Monday or Tuesday will not sit in a sorting center all weekend.
• Take a photo. Photograph the sealed envelope with the address and keep your proof of postage. That will give you peace of mind if you want to check something.
• Let me know. Send me a message with the track & trace code as soon as you have sent the envelope. Then I will know that something precious is on its way to me and I will keep an eye on the shipment for you.
• Prefer to bring it in person? This is possible by appointment in my studio in The Hague. I would like to ask you to contact me first to make an appointment.

Why I ask you to send it by registered mail

What you entrust to me is irreplaceable, so I always ask you to send the envelope by registered mail. You will then receive a track & trace code, so you can see where your envelope is. And it will not just go through the letterbox or be delivered to one of the neighbors, but will be handed over to me against a signature.

You can arrange registered shipping at a PostNL point or online. A regular mailbox package is cheaper, but is delivered without a signature. For something so precious, I always choose registered mail myself.

There is one thing I want to be honest about: you cannot insure the emotional value of ashes, hair, or fur with any carrier. That is precisely why this careful, double packing is so important.

You do not need to write on the outside of the envelope what is inside. An address is enough. What is inside remains between you and me.

Good to know: ashes are not on the list of prohibited goods that PostNL uses for mail within the Netherlands. As the sender, however, you are responsible for what you send.

Sending from abroad

Do you live in Belgium or further away? Even then you can entrust me with your precious memory, but the rules differ by country. Some countries have their own conditions for sending ashes. Therefore, check the website of the postal organization in your country beforehand, and always choose a shipping method with track & trace and a signature upon receipt.

Contact me before you send anything, then we can think together about the best way.
I have also included most, including international, instructions on the information sheet you receive after an order.

When your envelope arrives with me

As soon as your envelope is in my studio, I will let you know with an email. I will do my best to confirm this on the same day of arrival, but sometimes it may be a day later. This way, you will at least know that your precious memory has arrived safely.

I open every envelope with care, read all your beautiful stories, and look at the enclosed photos. I have a filing cabinet in my studio with 2 boxes where I neatly keep everything by order number, separately. On every received envelope that is separately in the box, I also put the name and the order number on the outside, so that absolutely nothing can ever get mixed up. 

Only when I begin your jewelry do I carefully take it in my hands. I make every piece of jewelry myself, by hand, in Italian glass, which takes time and care. Between 4 and 6 weeks your jewelry will be ready, then I will pack it carefully and send it to you. You will always receive a notification about this too, so you know that your package is on its way 🤍. If you have had a personal consultation with me and brought the ashes with you, I will email you to make an appointment for pickup.

Finally

Perhaps you already have the envelope in front of you, or you are waiting until it feels right. Take all the time you need, there is no rush and no moment that is too early or too late.

What you send to me is more than ashes, hair, or fur. It is a piece of someone you love. Of the hands that held you, the head that lay on your shoulder, the warm body that lay beside you every evening. I know how hard it is to let go of that, even if only for a while.

That is why I promise you this: from the moment your envelope arrives with me, I will treat what is inside as you would. With care, with reverence, and with all my attention. In the glass, your loved one gets a new place. Small, light, and always close by.

And if you have questions, or just want to talk about who you miss: you are always welcome!
I am happy to listen 🤍

With much love,
Linda