About Us
Hi! I’m Marissa Riffle, the maker behind Butterfly Effects Co. I’m a Tucson native, a wife, a creative soul, and a cultivator of all things bright and lovely.
Butterfly Effects Co. began as a way to share the delicate beauty of nature—especially butterflies—through wearable art. Each piece is handmade with care, using real, sustainably sourced butterfly wings to preserve the wonder of God’s loveliest creations. My goal is to create jewelry that feels meaningful and magical, while remaining faithful to our call to steward the natural world.
When I’m not in the studio, you’ll likely find me in the garden, experimenting in the kitchen, deep in a good book, practicing martial arts, or exploring the wild and breathtaking Sonoran Desert with my husband, Richard -- who you might meet accompanying me at markets.
I hope this little corner of the internet welcomes you as a space free from anxiety and full of beauty. Thank you for being here.
How It All Started
One summer, an enormous green praying mantis took up residence in the flowering Mexican bird of paradise bush in front of my home. I began to notice discarded butterfly wings scattered on the patio—evidence of this unexpected visitor’s appetite for our local pollinators.
Not wanting the wings to go to waste, I started collecting and preserving them. This led to the creation of my very first batch of butterfly earrings.
What began as a simple way to honor these beautiful creatures soon became something more—a way to celebrate their lives, their delicate strength, and the magic they leave behind. By lovingly preserving their wings, we give them a second life—transforming fleeting beauty into something lasting and wearable.
Sourcing With Care
Just to set the record straight—I'm not out there with a safari hat and butterfly net chasing live butterflies!
The wings I use are conscientiously and sustainably sourced through entomologists and collectors licensed to import them from around the world. With the exception of the occasional naturally discarded wing (like those left behind by my patio’s resident praying mantis), the majority of the butterflies I work with come from ethical butterfly farms and conservation aviaries.
In many cases, these butterfly farms are located in regions where protecting butterflies and their habitats provides a meaningful source of income for local communities. Instead of clearing land for short-term farming, residents are able to plant and maintain host crops that support the butterfly life cycle—helping preserve biodiversity and native ecosystems.
Here’s how it works:
In large enclosed habitats, female butterflies are gently collected from the wild to lay their eggs in a protected environment, free from predators and disease. In the wild, only a small percentage of caterpillars survive to adulthood—but in these conservation settings, nearly all of them do. Many are released back into their native habitats to help support wild populations. The butterflies that remain typically live out their short natural lives (often just a week or so), after which their wings are collected, preserved, and made available for research, education, or—like here—wearable art.
Your purchase directly supports conservation efforts -- protecting butterfly populations and providing sustainable livelihoods for families in developing countries. It’s a small but powerful way to ensure the responsible use and stewardship of our world's natural resources.
