Seed Bead Durability: Myths and Reality

There is a common belief that expensive Japanese seed beads can be used however you like and will still look brand new 🙃 This is far from the truth, and in this post, I want to share knowledge about different categories of beads that require extra care – I hope this helps beginner embroiderers avoid disappointment and ruined beadwork.

Seed beads are dyed into various shades after the glass has cooled. Despite special treatments, they can fade in bright sunlight and even (!) bleed. You should be especially careful if you like to spray yourself generously with perfume: if you are wearing beads (as jewelry or embroidery on clothing), be prepared for the dye to bleed directly onto your clothes. Miyuki Japanese beads remain the most durable in this regard, but even they sometimes fail. The least colorfast shades are purple, brown, and red.

If you are looking for colorfast beads – for example, for embellishing clothing – choose matte beads (Matte).

Glossy, pearlescent beads, as well as metallic-coated beads, always look very attractive, providing a festive luster and noticeable shine – they are often chosen for embellishing dresses or accessories for special occasions. They are usually labeled as GOLD LUSTER, PEARL, CEYLON, or METALLIZED.

However, there is one major BUT: all these varieties of beads scratch, peel, wear off easily, and cannot withstand washing 😕 I believe they are absolutely unsuitable for active use – at most for embroidery under glass. PEARL beads, with their pearlescent coating, are especially delicate.

To preserve the delicate metallic or pearlescent coating, special series of beads are produced labeled SUPRA METALLIC and SUPRA PEARL – after dyeing and coating, they undergo additional heat treatment, which makes the shine more matte, but significantly increases abrasion resistance.

Beads with a galvanized coating (labeled GALVANIZED) are considered more practical. The most durable "galvanized" beads known are those labeled PERMANENT FINISH from Toho. In general, if you want to preserve the decorative shine of your items or beaded jewelry for as long as possible, choose RAINBOW or IRIS beads: they are practically indestructible.

There are also luxury categories of beads used for embellishing renowned haute couture collections: they are coated with a thin layer of precious/semi-precious metals and baked for durability. They are labeled as STERLING SILVER PLATED, GOLD PLATED, PLATINUM PLATED, NICKEL PLATED, and BRONZE (a mix of brass, copper, and bronze).

The latter category (BRONZE) has the most durable coating: it is applied in at least 3 stages, and it is incredibly difficult to ruin.

I hope this information will be useful for those choosing beads for the first time 😉