There are bracelets and then there are bracelets that mean something. The kind you put on one morning and realize weeks later you haven't taken off. The kind that people notice, ask about, and end up ordering one of their own.
That's Etkie. And once you know the story behind them, you'll love them even more.
The Story Behind the Brand
Etkie was founded by Sydney Alfonso, a New Mexico woman raised in a small ranching community by a mother who never promoted small dreams. The word "etkie" means impact in Turkish and that is exactly what this brand has set out to do.
Sydney built Etkie around a simple but powerful idea: the hand that wears a piece should support the hand that makes it. Each bracelet is handcrafted by Native American artisans living and working on the Navajo Nation in New Mexico — women who learned to bead from their mothers and grandmothers, passing down a tradition that is as much about resilience as it is about beauty.
Every single bracelet is made by hand on a traditional Navajo loom, using high quality glass seed beads sewn onto genuine deerskin linings. Each one takes between four and six hours to complete. No two are exactly alike.
The artisans earn a living wage, something that has genuinely changed lives in communities where jobs are scarce and the roads to work are long. Etkie has been featured in Elle, Vogue Japan, and The New York Times Style Magazine. They've shown at Premiere Classe in Paris. And somehow they've managed to do all of that while staying completely true to the communities and the people who make their work possible.
In 2016 — using airline miles from a mentor to book her flight — Sydney presented Etkie at Premiere Classe in Paris, one of the most prestigious fashion accessory events in the world. Since then Etkie has been featured in Elle, Vogue Japan, and The New York Times Style Magazine. Not bad for a girl from a small ranching community in New Mexico.
That is a brand worth wearing.
We'll be honest, we didn't just carry Etkie because the story is wonderful. We carry them because Sue, Mindy, and Terri each own one and none of them can stop wearing theirs.
There's something about an Etkie bracelet that just works with everything. Dressed up, dressed down, heading to the store or heading somewhere special — it goes. And the more you wear it the more it feels like yours.
That's exactly the kind of piece we love bringing into Sticks and Steel.
A Piece Worth Owning
When you buy an Etkie bracelet you're not just buying jewelry. You're supporting Native American artisans who put four to six hours of their time, skill, and tradition into something she made by hand just for you. You're wearing a piece of a story that matters.
Come see them in store at 401 E 8th St in downtown Sioux Falls, South Dakota — or shop the full collection online HERE. We have a feeling once you find yours, you won't want to take it off.
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