Meet the Founder of DeafMetal®

Meet the Founders of DeafMetal®

Products designed for people with disabilities are often inspired by lived experience, a personal journey with unique challenges and a destination motivated by wanting to inspire others. 

The founder of DEAFMETAL®, Jenni Ahtiainen is no different but the end result has transformed the landscape for hearing aid users with an exceptional solution. By designing stylish jewellery to adorn hearing aids or cochlear implants, people who are hard of hearing are empowered to shrug off any shame they may have and put their disability on proud display.

Every great venture begins with a spark, and for Jenni, that spark was ignited after receiving hearing aids in 2018. The clunky, standard-issue aids provoked an immediate reaction. 

“I created the first DEAFMETAL® for my own hearing aids just days after I started wearing them,” Jenni recalls. “It was a spontaneous, gut-driven creation emerging from a desire to feel like myself again.”

With a background in jewellery design and a problem solving approach, Jenni found a unique way to bridge the gap between fashion and necessity. DEAFMETAL® was born organically, not just as a business idea, but as a brand destined to humanise these devices. DEAFMETAL® offers a wide range of options for safety solutions that cater to all types of hearing devices, including hearing aids, cochlear implants, and even earbuds. Their children’s range means that any stigma of having hearing loss is thrown off from a young age by bringing attention and awareness to this difference in a positive way. 

What designs are available?

The collection features everything from safety rings and chained earrings to elegant necklaces and hair chains, all designed to fit individual styles and preferences. From showstopper pieces to nearly invisible safety solutions, so “all wearers to express themselves while feeling secure,” Jenni shares. 

Among their many offerings, the safety ring ear cuffs that attach to hearing devices have emerged as a best seller. These innovative rings do not require a piercing and not only keep aids secure during everyday activities but have also proven their practicality in more adventurous settings. “Our customers use them in circus training, pole fitness classes, and busy jobs with animals and children,” Jenni explains, highlighting the versatility and reliability of the product.

What's next for this award winning brand? 

Quite rightly, DEAFMETAL® have received recognition with awards. In 2019, DEAFMETAL® won the silver prize at the Creative Business Cup, a global competition that emphasises innovation and creativity in business. For Jenni, this recognition was more than just an award: “It provided me with confidence and connected me to a worldwide network of creative thinkers who share my vision.” More recently, Jenni was invited to have DEAFMETAL® featured in the Design and Disability exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the world’s largest design museum. “When I got that call, I was ready to die!” Jenni exclaims. “It's a profound honor, and it’s a humbling experience to be recognised in such a prestigious space.” 

As DEAFMETAL® continues to flourish, they are gearing up for their Seed Round - a financial endeavor aimed at amplifying their reach and ensuring that more people become aware of these transformative products. Beginning with co-collaboration with the Deaf community, DEAFMETAL® are committed to creating a solid foundation for growth and for Jenni the work doesn’t stop at providing stylish solutions. It’s about ensuring that the voice of the hearing device community is heard. “Every customer testimonial brings tears to my eyes. We need to spread the word about DEAFMETAL® and make our solutions available for all hearing device users.” 

Their guiding slogan of “Proud to Wear,” is the very essence of what Jenni strives for. It’s a call to not just accept the tools we’re given but to embrace them, make them personal, and to wear them with pride. At Never Grey we are immensely proud to platform this innovative brand as Jenni’s journey with DEAFMETAL® is a remarkable tapestry of creativity, innovation, and heartfelt intention, showing us all that personal challenges can be turned into a source of inspiration for others.