Base Metal Wire and Findings

What does basemetal really mean?
For us, if it isn't goldfilled or sterling or copper or pewter it gets thrown onto the basemetal pages.

We're asked regularly if things are hypoallergenic. Who knows?
The Chinese and Indians don't care. Hypoallergenic generally is without nickel and we hardly trust "them" to tell us the truth.
I have friends in the business who routinely test their foreign competitors "sterling silver" and it tests out at 10% silver with a lot of cadmium and lead.  Several business at shows in the last few years have had their booths seized for false marking.

I was once arrested for it but of course that was during my days of poverty and the cops also arrested me for selling jewelry on the street.  The false marking charge was dropped. I hadn't enoughmoney back then to even sniff sterling silver.  when silver was $3 an ounce.