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| Wholesale Beads |
Beads are small, decorative and colorful objects of various shapes and sizes. They can be hollow or solid and are pierced for threading or stringing. They have a wide range of sizes varying from 1 millimeter to 1 centimeter in diameter. They are used for jewelry and art and craft. Children use them for playing. They are also used in Montessori play way method of teaching as threading the beads increases the gripping skills of the children and they can prepare for writing. Beads can be woven together in different types of threads or in soft or flexible wires.
Types of Beads
Beads can be of different categories based on their component materials, general shape, surface patterning, manufacturing process, or place or period of origin.
Components
Beads are made of either natural or synthetic materials.
Beads can be of different categories based on their component materials, general shape, surface patterning, manufacturing process, or place or period of origin.
Components
Beads are made of either natural or synthetic materials.
Natural Materials
Natural materials include organic and inorganic materials. Organic materials are of plant or animal-based origin and inorganic materials are of purely mineral origin.
The organic materials include bone, coral, ivory, seeds, animal shell and wood. Pearl, amber and jet are beads of organic materials.
The inorganic materials include various types of stones and metals. These include gemstones, precious metals, base metals and electrums. Electrums are also known as paper beads.
Synthetic Materials
Ceramics, clay and glass are the oldest synthetic materials used to make beads. Ancient alloys like bronze and brass were also used to make beads. There are many subtypes of glass which are used for bead making. Lead crystal beads consists of a high percentage of lead oxide which increases the refractive index of glass.
Plastic beads are generally very colorful and fusible which can be woven to string necklaces, bracelets or key chains etc. Plastic beads are available in different colors an degrees of transparency. These include glittering beads, beads of various geometric patterns. They were also fused together to form ribbons, toys, tubes etc.
Manufacturing
Depending upon the material and texture, Beads are generally shaped by carving or casting. Metalworking or Glass working techniques are generally used to make beads.
Plastic beads and glass beads are made by pouring it into molds to form the desired shape. Then they are polished for the surface irregularities after taking out from the grinding wheel.
Shapes of beads
Beads are generally hair pipe or seed shaped. Hair pipe beads are long and tubular and made of bison and water buffalo bones. The beads of black colors are made from animal horns.
Seed beads are spheroid or tube shaped. They are used for loom and off-loom bead weaving.
Beads are very common and generally available everywhere. But if you want them online just browse the internet to get more information on these.
