Wooden beads provide a very natural, earthy look to your jewelry and come in a wide range of finishes. They can be naturally treated, painted, stained or sanded to give stunning range of effects.
The lightness of wooden beads makes them great for chunky bracelets and necklaces. They can create a very chunky look without the weight of regular beads.
They also create quite distinctive sounds when they jangle together. For many this can be a compelling reason to consider using wooden beads in their jewelry projects.
Wooden beads can be carved into shapes like animals, patterns or symbols, and this craftsmanship can be extremely impressive. The softness of wood makes it easy to fashion into a bead through carving a hole and making the exterior smooth.
Wooden beads are also durable and natural wearing on the surface, making it used across history on many continents.
Origins of wooden beads
Wooden beads have been common across many cultures in their traditional forms of jewelry and adornment. The only other bead that has predated the wooden bead are those made of bones.
Tribal jewelry of many continents used wooden beads until contact with European settlers who introduced glass and precious stones.
While these stone beads became highly prized over more traditional wooden beads among traditional cultures, fashion in the Western world had made wooden beads highly desirable by the 1920s.
Designers such as Coco Chanel first made wooden beads feature in their designs in the early 20th century. This has continued to make wooden beads essentials for fashion every time wooden beads have a revival in the constantly recycling world of fashion.
The "tribal look" made these wooden beads popular, and many people recreated the look off the catwalk as well to adorn themselves with rich and intricate pieces.
Caring for wooden beads
Wooden beads are usually quite resistant to water damage, given that they are made from natural materials. The paint or vanish used on their surfaces may not be as resistant however, but sometimes can also actually offer more protection if it seals the wood.
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