Frequently Asked Questions…

Q: How long does it take to ship the earrings?

A: Each feather product is hand tied to order. I strive to make the earrings and hat feathers as close to what you see on the website, but each is truly unique, given the differences in feathers and their availability. Orders are fulfilled as quickly as possible. Given the nature of small business as a solo artist, orders may take 14 days to fulfill and be placed in the mail. If you have a special event you need the order by, please contact me and I will do my best to get them to you in time. I ship all orders via USPS and each order receives a shipping confirmation with tracking number via email.

*Please note, November through Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day are exceptionally busy times. Please order as far in advance as possible to ensure you are able to receive them in time. Thank you!

Q: What happens if I lost an earring?

A: No biggie! Nearly all of the earrings are replicable, so if you lost one, contact us and we’ll make you another one for $25, with free shipping.

Q: Are the earring loops hypo-allergenic?

A: We purchase our earring loops off of various sellers on Amazon. All of them are marked as hypo-allergenic and are stainless steel, plated gold or plated silver. Most pairs come with the stainless steel loops. After four years and over two thousand pairs sold, not a single customer has reported having issues with our earrings.

Q: Will the feathers last a long time?

A: Yes! So long as you take care of them, they will last years. Some parts of them will eventually break down, they are natural after all. It is best to store the feathers in a cool dry place, out of sunlight! Leaving them out in the open or in sunlight can speed up the natural degradation process. Also, little mites and moths eat feathers. (Don’t worry, we don’t send feathers with mites on them.) You may have some of these microscopic mites in your home, and they could find the earrings and break down the fibers.

Q: My feathers got bent! What do I do to straighten them?

A: Not a big deal. You have three options. The first, is to hold them over steam. The steam will straighten them. Second, you can lay them on a flat surface and move the feather to it’s proper position, then place a heavy book on the feather. Let it sit for a few days then remove. Third, you can get the feather wet by dipping in water, then lay them straight. Let them dry and fluff them out. They should be straight! I have seen videos where folks iron the feathers and this seems possible but I hesitate to recommend this. The feathers could burn.

Q: I have feathers I’d like to get made into earrings! What do I do?

A: If you have feathers that you found on the ground, from a pet bird, or even one you hunted yourself, we can make you a pair of earrings or hat feather from them! Just contact us to discuss and we will get all of the details sorted out!

Q: Where are your feathers sourced?

A: Most of the feathers are sourced through fly tying distributors. 90% of the feathers used in Pretty Fly earrings are rooster / chicken. These birds are bred specifically to grow extravagant looking feathers which they are eventually harvested for. Approximately one dozen US based companies operate in this very small, niche industry. The chickens are pampered throughout their life in order to ensure they grow the very long and bold feathers. Below is an in-depth article on the treatment that these birds receive, which is immensely better than the normal chicken raised for human food consumption:

https://www.growlermag.com/raising-hackles-the-prized-chickens-at-the-center-of-fly-fishing/

Recently, I have sourced Roosters and Chickens that were raised from sustainably sourced farms. These were free range birds harvested by the farmers themselves at their discretion.

I'm also sent feathers from birds that have been hunted, so their feathers are not wasted. These include turkey, duck and pheasant feathers. Occasionally, I’m able to source naturally shed Amazon Green Parrot and Macaw feathers and will offer pairs of earrings of these rare feathers when available.

All feathers are legally acquired and legally used in my art and I abide by the laws of the Migratory Bird Act. If you have any further questions on the sourcing of these feathers, please feel free to drop me a message and I am happy to discuss. Thank you for your interest in Pretty Fly Designs!