Jewelry display stands are essential to enhance jewels. They play a double role: they are functional tools, but also design pieces that embellish the store, while communicating the brand identity and collection.
We at SDJ Packing reckon that only a customized display stand can truly convey emotions. All our window display sets can be customized under every aspect, ranging from different lines and a specific arrangement in a window display, to colors and covering materials.
Which materials do we use the most for our display stands? What are the tips and tricks to keep them looking new and long lasting?
Our material selection
Coverings are essential features of display stands that can tell a lot about a brand. The kind of material that is used greatly affects the image and message that the brand wishes to convey. Before choosing a material, we need to fully investigate the brand’s heritage.
Leatherette
As mentioned in our in-depth article about leatherette and display stands for high jewelry, leatherette is highly resistant to wear and tear and scratches and it provides endless possibilities in terms of textures and colors.
It doesn’t require any maintenance; it is water repellent and moisture resistant and exposure to sunlight doesn’t alter its beauty. Another feature, perhaps the most important one, to consider when making jewelry display stands is elasticity.
We use a stiffer kind of leatherette to make jewelry trays and jewelry rolls, while we use a particularly soft and elastic leatherette for boxes and display stands, since it allows us to perfectly cover both bigger display stands, such as bases or backdrops, and smaller display stands requiring high accuracy.
Microfiber
Microfiber is a stretchy material that suits different kinds of shapes, that is easy to work with and extremely versatile, as it comes with endless textures and colors.
We have hundreds of different kinds of microfiber in our product catalog, ranging from the softest to the smoothest kinds. It all depends on its processing technique: microfiber with long fibers has a soft, almost velvety, look, while microfiber with shorter fibers looks more uniform and polished.
Velvet
Velvet is a refined material that has always conveyed a sense of luxury, wealth, elegance and prestige. It has an unmistakable texture and it can even enhance darker colors, making them appear deeper and more intense.
Velvet is a relatively stretchy material that is easy to use for all window display’s surfaces, for either rounded lines or straight-cut edges, wide surfaces or small display stands with complex shapes.
We have a wide range of velvet types in our product catalog with different colors and textures. Just like microfiber, the difference between each velvet type lies in the fiber length: long fibers for a softer effect or short fibers.
Satin
Satin is not a very stretchy material and it is, therefore, not recommended for rounded-shaped display accessories. SDJ Packing’s staff is highly qualified and can handle even the most difficult materials, but we always suggest weighing up pros and cons before choosing a satin display stand.
This material can range from glossy to matte; it was considered very trendy up until some years ago, whereas it isn’t used as frequently nowadays, since other materials and their looks are preferred. The final effect can look slightly “heavy” and not dynamic, if it isn’t paired with other materials with different textures within the same display stand.
Cotton canvas
Just like satin, cotton canvas is not an elastic material and it is not recommended for jewelry displays with rounded shapes or curved silhouettes.
Given the wide texture range that we have in our product catalog, cotton canvas is mainly used for trendy window displays and young adult collections. Cotton has recently been perceived as a refined material that can enhance even the most precious jewels.
Durability and ease of cleaning
Satin is the most subject to wear and tear which makes it, therefore, less suitable for long-lasting display stands. On the contrary, leatherette, microfiber and velvet are very sturdy and, when needed, can be easily cleaned with a soft cloth. The same can be said for cotton canvas which, however, has to be cleaned more thoroughly, since dust tends to settle in its fibers over time.
We should also take into account that jewelry display stands aren’t at risk of getting stained or scraped very often. Unlike jewelry trays and rolls, display stands aren’t continuously held and when a window display is being set up, gloves are used so as not to leave stains and marks.
Displaying using different materials: each one conveys a different message
We at SDJ Packing always recommend using more than one material for window displays. Using different textures creates movement, as well as a visual and tactile experience that looks dynamic, something that a window display that only includes display stands made with the same material cannot achieve.
It would be ideal to combine two, maximum three, different materials and perhaps add a metal outline to make the display appear even more elegant and modern. The most common combinations are leatherette and microfiber, as well as velvet and leatherette or velvet and microfiber.
It all depends on the brand story and identity, as well as the brand values and image they want to convey with a specific collection. Jewelry displays are at the service of jewels: their purpose is interpreting their uniqueness and enhancing their beauty.
