Brighton jeweller turns pet fur into keepsakes as owners look for more personal ways to remember their animals

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Brighton jeweller turns pet fur into keepsakes as owners look for more personal ways to remember their animals

A Sussex family business is helping pet owners preserve fur, hair and ashes in handmade jewellery, while offering free pet loss support ahead of Pet Remembrance Day.

BRIGHTON, 23 June 2026: When Arya the Lhasa Apso had to be groomed following surgery, her owner Suellen did not want the fur to simply be swept away.

Arya had always had very long hair. After the grooming, Suellen began looking for a way to preserve some of it and found Fur & Forever, a Brighton-based jewellery studio that creates rings, necklaces and other keepsakes using pet fur, hair, whiskers and cremation ashes.

Suellen, from Utrecht, commissioned a keepsake ring and heart necklace using Arya’s fur while Arya is still by her side.

“Arya has always had very long hair,” Suellen said. “After her recent surgery and grooming, I wanted to preserve some of it in a meaningful way. I love knowing I’ll forever carry a little piece of her with me.”

Fur & Forever was founded by Jack and Mel Lockyer after their own search for high-quality pet memorial jewellery fell short. From their Brighton studio, the family business now creates handmade keepsakes for pet owners across the UK and beyond, using small amounts of fur, hair, whiskers, feathers or ashes. Any unused sentimental material is returned to the customer.

The business has also launched a free Pet Loss Support Hub ahead of Pet Remembrance Day on Sunday 5 July. The resource brings together practical guidance for the first days after a pet dies, support around euthanasia guilt, advice for helping children with pet loss and trusted UK helplines. Veterinary practices are invited to share it with clients.

Jack Lockyer, founder of Fur & Forever, said:

“People sometimes feel they ought to be coping better because it was ‘only a pet’. But for many families, the animal they have lost was part of the rhythm of every day. We wanted the hub to be useful in that disorientating period, before anyone has to think about memorials or buying anything.”

Recent UK research has challenged the tendency to minimise grief after an animal’s death. A January 2026 PLOS One study of 975 UK adults found that, among people who had lost both a beloved pet and a person close to them, 21 per cent described the pet’s death as their most distressing bereavement. The researchers also found clinically significant grief symptoms following pet loss at rates comparable with several forms of human bereavement.

For Fur & Forever, the jewellery-making process is rooted in trust. Customers may send a few strands of fur, a whisker, a feather or a small amount of ashes. Each piece is made by hand, with the inclusion sealed inside sterling silver or selected gold designs.

Lockyer added:

“The trust involved in an order is enormous. A few hairs in an envelope may be the last physical link to an animal who shared somebody’s life for years. We use only what we need, return the rest and never treat it as ordinary material.”

The business uses plantable wildflower paper, recycled cardboard and cards made from cotton garment offcuts. More than 250 orders have been sent using its eco-helpful packaging system, and repairs are carried out free where possible. Fur & Forever has also worked with Cats Protection on a solid-gold ring prize draw, passing voluntary donations to the charity in full.

Jack Lockyer is available for interview. High-resolution images of Arya, the completed keepsakes, the making process, the studio and packaging are available for editorial use, together with a short case-study video. Media folder

ENDS

Notes to editors

Fur & Forever is the trading name of South Downs Designs Limited, a Brighton-based jewellery business founded by Jack and Mel Lockyer.

The brand was created after Jack and Mel’s own search for high-quality pet-hair memorial jewellery fell short.

The range includes sterling silver and selected gold rings, necklaces, bangles, cufflinks and keepsakes using fur, hair, whiskers, feathers or cremation ashes. Products currently start from £115.

Qualifying precious-metal pieces are hallmarked through the London Assay Office.

The website displays a 4.9 average rating from more than 100 verified customers. Customer reviews can be viewed here: Fur & Forever reviews

Pet Remembrance Day is marked annually in the UK on 5 July.

Further images and recent making content can be viewed on Instagram: Fur & Forever Instagram

Media contact:
Jack Lockyer
Founder, Fur & Forever
Email: jack@furandforever.com
Phone: 07415 870883
Website: furandforever.com
Instagram: @furandforever