Rachel Stewart, a jewelry designer, who hails from North Carolina, launched her eponymous online store in 2009. Since then, the shop has steadily grown due to Stewart’s popular online presence and the beautiful, original images that she creates to highlight her designs.

Her unique, Afrocentric jewelry, such as her signature Afropick Earrings, have been sported by celebrities like Nelly Furtado, as well as a slew of online influencers and social media personalities.

As Stewart’s popularity and visibility grew, so did the number of sites and online shops copying her original designs. Soon, Chinese e-commerce sites like Alibaba and Aliexpress were selling replicas of her work for pennies on the dollar. Now, Stewart, who started her business to gain financial independence after being laid off from her job nearly 8 years ago, might be forced to shut down her business.

Stewart tells Yesha Callahan of The Root that she’s put in a lot of effort to fight the counterfeiting, from publicly naming them online, to contacting them directly,

[T]he first time I contacted one particular seller, she said that someone sent her a picture of my earrings and asked her to make them. Of course, they don’t care who it belongs to, so she made it, sold it to the American boutique and also kept it in her own shop overseas. She also apologized and pretended that she was so sorry for everything.

She said if I didn’t take legal action she would remove them from her shop right away and make them for me exclusively. I thought that was funny. I produce my own product—just take down my work. She took them down and one week later changed the name of her shop and put them right back up. It’s not just these companies: Independent boutiques also steal my pictures and work; it’s rampant.

She also stated that the situation is forcing her to make a tough decision,

At the end of the day, I need to make money to support my family, and if that’s not happening, I won’t let my pride stop me from doing what I need to do. I’m still an artist, still a creative, still a maker. That won’t change.

While Stewart also points out that she’s not “looking for a bailout,” she urges those who want to support black business to think about where they are buying things from.

If you’re in the market for some new jewelry, shop Rachel Stewart at www.rachelstewartjewelry.com. You can also shop her vintage clothing store HERE.