Loughborough student wins international competition to design hearing technology jewellery

The ‘Junkyard Dog Flower’ design has now been made into jewellery.

A final-year Product Design and Technology student at Loughborough University, has won an international competition to design jewellery for use with cochlear implants and hearing aids.

Gargi Agrawalla was diagnosed as profoundly deaf as a baby and wore hearing aids until she received cochlear implants at age 12. Her design features her hand-sketched illustration of a flower, UV printed on white leather.

Her ‘Junkyard Dog Flower’ design has now been made into jewellery by award-winning creators DEAFMETAL® and is being sold to help raise money for the charity Auditory Verbal UK (AVUK).

Gargi Agrawalla, said: “I’m thrilled to have won the competition with my design which was inspired by my personal journey navigating from hearing aids to cochlear implants throughout my childhood into young adulthood and celebrates the raw, layered nature of identity, resilience, and beauty.”

The design can be worn with either a cochlear implant or hearing aid and includes a matching coil 'hat' design.

Gargi, said: “I am passionate about promoting accessibility and inclusive design through my work and I wanted it to be vibrant and resilient, just like the deaf community. Flowers reflect growth, transformation, and individuality, much like every hearing loss journey. This design empowers assistive devices as symbols of pride and style.”