Meet Emily Foster | Founder & Creator at Kharis LLC

We had the good fortune of connecting with Emily Foster and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I have always loved creating. From a young age, I remember asking for those giant jewelry-making kits from Costco for my birthday or Christmas. I even had several birthday parties at a local bead shop during my elementary school years, where we would make various bracelets or necklaces. I also loved selling my creations. Instead of lemonade stands, I was known for selling the crafts I made—especially those cute Perler bead designs that you have to iron. My sweet neighbors would often stop by to “sell out” my inventory, and I remember feeling SO special. I found joy in crafting and bringing joy to others through my creations. From an early age, I was a little entrepreneur.

Fast forward to high school, when I learned about the horrific reality of human trafficking around the world. I had traveled to Kenya and India and heard firsthand stories from people who had been affected. As I continued educating myself through local nonprofits and taking various classes, I realized that human trafficking isn’t just an issue overseas—it happens right here in our own backyard. This revelation left me feeling helpless, but also deeply motivated. Unsure of where to start, I decided to begin with what I knew best: creating jewelry.

In August 2019, Kharis LLC was born out of my desire to see an end to human trafficking. My mission, from the beginning, has been to raise awareness about this critical issue in my community, by starting with conversations and jewelry. My hope and prayer for Kharis is to inspire others to take action and make a difference, all while feeling empowered, confident, and beautiful wearing our jewelry. Even when times have been trying, 10% (sometimes more) of every purchase is donated to various nonprofit organizations who are working to combat human trafficking or support youth in our community.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The majority of my pieces are made out of polymer clay. I began experimenting with clay in 2019 after learning how lightweight the product was. Many women in my life would say how they loved wearing jewelry, but sometimes earrings were hard to wear because of how heavy they often were. And so, ta-da! I dove into researching and exploring various polymer clay techniques.

When I first began creating pieces, I would give them away as testers. Looking back at my very first pieces, I am so grateful that people were so kind. Because, BLESS. They were rough! HA! Five, almost six years in, it is so fun to look back at pictures and see how much I have grown. I thoroughly enjoy creating the more intricate floral pieces. They take a lot of time, but it is very therapeutic. I would describe my design now as feminine, floral, and joyful.

From start to finish, each piece takes about 3-4 hours to create. First, I plan the design, then roll out the clay and begin shaping. After the pieces are created, they bake for about an hour. Once they’ve cooled, I sand, drill, and buff each one. After the messy and dusty part is done, I give each piece a good bubble bath to shine them up. Then, I dry and assemble them. It’s a lengthy process, but so, so worth it. Whether I’m creating earrings, necklaces, bracelets, bookmarks, or hair accessories, every clay piece follows the same process. Each one is handmade with love, which means no two are exactly alike. They’re all unique and may vary slightly.

A mentor once told me that, “Jewelry always fits and makes you feel beautiful”, and that has always stuck with me. I want each person who owns my pieces to know how loved, beautiful, important, and valued that they are. I want their pieces to bring them a little bit of joy and confidence to their everyday lives, all while knowing that their purchase is making a difference in the lives of other women around the world.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If a friend were visiting Colorado for a few days, I’d take them to a few of my favorite spots!

First, I’d let them adjust to the altitude and take them around Arvada. We’d first stop at Red Silo coffee. Then we’d make our way to Olde Town Arvada and shop in the cute boutiques, grab tacos at Teocali or Lady Nomada, and enjoy some ice cream at Power Cone. Afterward, we’d end the day New Terrain for a delicious beer with a mountain-y ambiance.

Next, I’d take them to Lafayette to explore their charming downtown area. For dinner we would head to The Acreage for some tasty food and cider, all while soaking in the amazing mountain views.

The next day, we’d venture to downtown Golden to explore all it has to offer, walk along the river, and finish the day at Babes Tea Room for a delightful afternoon tea.

On the last day, we’d make our way to Breckenridge, where we’d explore the cute town and take in the breathtaking scenery.

The whole itinerary would be filled with some of my favorite restaurants and scenic Colorado views.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Kharis LLC wouldn’t be where it is today without the unwavering support of my family and friends. Kharis is not my full-time job, but I like to call it my passion project. What started out as a little Etsy shop in 2019, has expanded to having our own website, participating in multiple markets throughout the year, and being able to donate over $3,000! Wild. When you see me on the evenings or weekends at Markets, you’ll likely find me alongside my best friend, Megan, my husband, Jeremy, my mom, Patti, or my dad, Randy. These four are essential to Kharis LLC. Whether they’re hauling tables across a park for a market, being my volunteer salesmen/women, helping me track inventory, helping me run an LLC, helping me with taxes, going on food or coffee runs, they help me keep Kharis running, caffeinated, and fueled! I am beyond grateful for their love and support. I am also beyond grateful for friends and customers who continue to show up for us. Whether they join us at various markets, share our social media posts, tell others about Kharis, or wear our product, I am in complete awe of how wonderful of a community that we have built. We have a small but mighty team around us and I do not take that for granted. I am forever grateful.

Website: https://www.shopkharis.co

Instagram: @shopkharisjewelry

Facebook: @Shopkharisjewelry

Image Credits
Becky @ Denver Photo Collective
Ashlee @ Ashlee Crowden Photography