Are paper earrings durable? An honest answer

I get this question at almost every market: "Paper? Doesn't that break?" Fair question. You're about to hang paper from your ears, so here is the honest answer, including the things my origami earrings don't like.

What the earrings are made of

Every pair is folded by hand in Germany from Japanese Chiyogami paper. Chiyogami is a decorative paper printed with repeating patterns, often with a touch of gold, and many of the designs come straight from kimono textiles. It is a sturdy paper to begin with, and the folding adds structure: a sonobe module or a crane has several layers of paper on top of each other, which is a lot stiffer than a single sheet.

After folding, every piece gets a clear, water-repellent sealing. It is almost invisible, keeps the colours as they are and gives the surface a little protection. The hooks and hoops are nickel-free stainless steel. If you want to know more about the paper itself, I wrote a short page about Chiyogami paper.

What the sealing does, and what it doesn't

The sealing makes the paper water-repellent, not waterproof. In practice that means:

• A splash while washing your hands or a bit of light rain on the way home is fine. Dab it dry and move on.
• Showering, swimming and the sauna are not fine. Hot steam and standing water will soften the paper and loosen the folds.
• Perfume and hairspray go on first, earrings last. Both contain alcohol and oils that can leave spots on the paper if they land directly on it.

Think of them like a good pair of leather shoes: they can take a bit of weather, but you wouldn't jump into a lake in them.

How light they are

This is the part people don't expect. Paper weighs almost nothing, so even the bigger designs like the Triple Sonobe hoops are so light you forget you're wearing them. If metal earrings pull on your ears after a few hours, or you've stopped wearing statement earrings because they feel heavy by the evening, that problem simply doesn't exist here. You can wear a big pair all day and a long evening after that.

Sensitive ears

Everything I use is nickel-free. The standard hook is nickel-free stainless steel, and for +€3 you can choose 18k gold plated stainless steel instead. On most designs you can also upgrade to surgical steel, 925 sterling silver, titanium, clips or huggie hoops. If your ears react to almost everything, titanium is the one I'd recommend; it is the material least likely to cause trouble. And clips are there for anyone without piercings who still wants to wear a crane.

How long they last

I won't give you a number of years, because that would be a guess dressed up as a promise. What I can say: the earrings are made for everyday wear, and the care tips keep them that way. The folds hold as long as the earrings stay dry. The things that actually shorten their life are water, being crushed in a bag and sleeping in them. All three are easy to avoid.

One more thing worth knowing: I fold about five pairs per pattern. When a pattern sells out, the design moves on to new paper. So if a pair gets damaged after years, I can usually repair or replace the hook, but the exact pattern may no longer exist.

If something bends or tears

Paper can get bent if it is squashed in a pocket. Please don't glue anything. Most household glues soak into the paper, darken it and make a proper repair impossible. Instead, write to me at hello@leverras.art with a photo of the piece. In many cases a bent crane can be reshaped, a loose hook can be replaced, and if the paper is really torn I'll tell you honestly what is possible.

Care in five lines

• Keep them dry. Splash yes, shower no.
• Perfume and hairspray first, earrings last.
• Take them off before you sleep.
• Store them in a box, not loose in a bag.
• Dust with a soft, dry brush when needed.

The full version is on the care tips page.

Questions people ask

Can I wear them every day?

Yes. They are made for everyday wear. Just take them off before showering and sleeping, and store them in their box.

Can I sleep in them?

Better not. The folds get pressed flat against a pillow and the hooks bend. Take them off, put them in the box, done.

Will the colour fade?

The sealing protects the printed surface, and with normal wear the colours stay as they are. Like any coloured object, they shouldn't sit in direct sunlight for weeks, for example on a windowsill.

Do they survive rain?

Light rain and a few drops, yes. Dab them dry afterwards. A proper downpour without an umbrella is where I'd tuck them into a pocket.

So: paper earrings are more robust than they look, as long as you treat them like something made of paper. If you want to see the current patterns, they are all in the origami earrings collection.

Art you don't hang – art you wear.