It was five years ago that Preethy Vijay learned via a Facebook group enquiry about what sounded odd but unique: breast milk jewellery. Her experience in crafts came handy when the Chennai resident launched @mommasmilkylove on Instagram. The idea behind her venture is to create a keepsake using elements that hold an individual’s genetic markers. She also uses the umbilical cord, hair strands, nails and milk teeth for her creations. In Delhi, Preety Maggo runs @the_magic_of_memories, a jewellery line of bespoke DNA trinkets. The idea is to celebrate a moment or a bond by embedding human DNA into a locket or ring. According to the makers of this type of jewellery, DNA can be preserved for thousands of years if stored correctly.

While a few artistes were creating this personalised brand of jewellery in India, Maggo says that the quality of raw materials aren’t up to the mark.  “I import mine from the US. I use FDA [Food and Drug Administration] approved raw materials,” she adds about the ingredients that go into making the trinkets, the most important of which is the quality of resin.