Personalized 3D printed jewelry and accessory marketplace have been popping up all over the internet and the world, impacting the jewelry market with more convenient and customizable manufacturing methods. One new Hong Kong-based 3D printing store called aoku3D, which translates to “mysterious treasure box”, is covering all of the bases by offering 3D printed jewelry, accessories, fashion, home decor, and crafts all specially made for each order.
Categorized on the site are uniquely patterned bracelets, sleekly modern sunglasses, extra-terrestrial like lamps, and much more, all using 3D printing by their various designers. These high-end 3D printed products are internationally available, and, for a limited time, shipping is free, if you become an aoku3D member.
This Chinese e-boutique claims to be taking care of both the consumer and the designer in the process as well. Auko3D states on their site that they “serve to convey consumer preferences to designers so to enhance creativity and productivity as we let customers personalize premium-grade products.” By seeking out what the customer wants and letting the site’s up-and-coming designers produce their versions of a given in-demand object, aoku3D is trying to help both sides profit. This seems like it will especially help their designers, much of whom are young up-and-comers from within Greater China. Take Bowen Song example, a young “anti-art” designer who has her collection of wildly curved 3D printed pens for sale.
But aoku3D is also extending their platform to international designers, too, from the UK to Slovenia, giving them an eclectic collection of accessories, jewelry, and the like, designed from a melting pot of influences. I personally was tempted to hit the buy button on Belgium-based designer Bieke Hoet’s Cabriolet CC 3 3D printed sunglasses, which are uniquely designed and printed in polypropylene. All in all, aoku3D seems like a tremendous market for young designers from around the world to market their unique designs, and also receive feedback on what the consumer market is looking for in order to satisfy their needs as well.
But these designs do look quite quality-driven, which explains the moderately high prices for some of the designers’ products. But what you are paying for here is more than just a mass-produced 3D printed brooch or handbag, these products are all individually designed to be unique, fashionable, and satisfying for both the consumer and the designer.
