Austin does not own the business, and we want to be clear about that. He has guardians and conservators. His mother, Leigh Wear, is the founder and sole owner. Austin is the heart of Austin’s WearABLE Art—without him, it wouldn’t exist. Beading provides him with a productive outlet for OCD, helping reduce anxiety through counting and patterns, while giving him dignity, pride, and a sense of purpose. It also lets him explore his creativity with colors, sizes, and designs. He’s excited to donate to organizations that have supported him and others facing challenges. Austin works under full supervision from his “craft-challenged” mom, who handles all business operations. This is not gainful employment for him.

Austin gets some help with assembling jewelry, always with supervision and encouragement to stay on task. For original designs, he chooses the bead colors—though with thousands in stock, Mom often narrows the options before he makes the final decision. Sometimes he remembers specific beads from past projects and matches them with new ones. At bead or craft stores, he picks out what he likes. Using a design board, he creates his patterns, focusing on symmetry and enjoying the chance to practice his math skills. Mom checks his work, knots the bracelets, helps him clip extra string, and holds them while he brushes glue onto the knots. Earrings need more assistance, though he can make some on his own except for opening and closing the small connectors. His beaded pens, key rings, and bottle stoppers are nearly independent projects, and he especially enjoys organizing and choosing characters. He also helps with packaging, labeling, and adding personal touches before shipping, making sure packages get mailed with prompts and supervision. On social media, he loves reading comments, and seeing “likes”. He enjoys watching videos of himself so we are considering getting more involved online—so keep an eye out.

Right now, we’re using the ease and convenience of Etsy to make Austin’s work available for sale. We’ll keep you updated if we start independent online sales or open a TikTok shop.Austin also occasionally sets up table sales at special events. If you’re interested in partnering with us as a reseller, please feel free to reach out.

Name change: Is it Austin's WearABLE Art or Austin's WearABLEs? Our business name is Austin's WearABLE Art, and we are legally “doing business as” Austin's WearABLE Art. At one point, we considered changing the name to Austin's WearABLEs based on customer suggestions. However, the process of changing the name proved challenging, and we’re fine sticking with Austin's WearABLE Art, even if it’s not as catchy. We still have packaging labeled Austin's WearABLEs, but we’ll update the print once our current supply runs out. Logo: The puzzle piece is a well-known symbol for autism spectrum disorder. When Austin began making beaded jewelry, his favorite color was yellow. After he chose it, we learned yellow symbolizes HOPE—perfect! We added beads strung over the puzzle piece, incorporating purple and teal as our business colors. In defense of the puzzle piece symbol: We understand some people view the puzzle piece negatively in relation to autism, but we don’t share that view. We don’t believe it represents a person with autism; rather, it reflects the complexity of autism itself. Understanding that it’s a spectrum disorder is challenging—Austin has level 3 autism, which is very different from level 1. If both are called autism, why are the characteristics so different? It’s puzzling. The puzzle piece has been the most recognized symbol for autism since the 1960s. We know Autism Speaks (founded in 2005) also uses it as their logo. While there is opposition to Autism Speaks, the criticisms I’ve heard are based on outdated information, as the organization has made changes that address most of those concerns. Why does the logo take different forms? Austin came up with a cheerful puzzle piece character named Zowie. After several iterations, a graphic artist polished the design, and we placed it up on a colorful infinity symbol made of beads. We included the rainbow infinity symbol to acknowledge that some in the autism community prefer it, aiming to respect all perspectives just as we hope our puzzle piece logo will be respected.

To keep your jewelry looking its best, avoid wearing it when using detergents, chemicals, or perfumes—apply perfume before putting it on. Limiting water exposure will also help maintain its shine. While most metals used are tarnish-resistant, it’s still wise to take these precautions. Store fashion jewelry in an airtight container, like a zip-top bag, to prevent tarnishing. A microfiber polishing cloth works great for cleaning and removing light tarnish from metal components. If tarnish appears, make a paste of baking soda and water, gently rub it on the metal, rinse thoroughly, and dry with a soft cloth. All earrings are made with hypoallergenic components, and if you have any issues, we’ll honor our 100% happiness guarantee. Many customers enjoy their jewelry for years with proper care.

Absolutely! If your purchase doesn’t meet your expectations when it arrives, just let us know right away. With our 100% happiness guarantee, we’ll make it right through an alteration, replacement, or refund. It’s especially important to Austin that you love what he’s made—bringing joy to people is a big reason he creates and sells jewelry and accessories. We also take pride in offering the best customer service we can.

Etsy handles online sales by collecting and sending your state’s sales tax.

Each piece of jewelry is carefully packaged in a sturdy, reusable cotton drawstring pouch printed with our name and logo. Every order includes a card with jewelry care tips, information about Austin and our company, and details on our donations to organizations supporting individuals with disabilities. Most orders are shipped in a poly bubble envelope.If requested, we offer small gift notes with envelopes (similar to those from florists) at no extra charge. Let us know if you’d like your message handwritten or left blank. You can send us a message through Etsy or include it as a note on your order.Etsy provides us with your shipping address. We ship in-stock items promptly, usually within two business days, most often via USPS Ground. You can also upgrade to Priority or International shipping through Etsy, with costs adjusted for the additional postage.