Artisan glass beads and imported mass produced beads

Lampwork beads have become a popular item to use in jewelry and other decorative or functional items. There are thousands of beads to choose from. What should you look for when buying lampwork beads to ensure they will look nice for many decades. First, make sure lampwork beads are annealed. This is a process where the beads are cooled down slowly in a kiln to allow time for the glass molecules to stabilize. Most annealed glass beads can withstand a little bit of trauma without breaking. Second, they should be cleaned. Bead release inside of bead holes can cause extra wear on soft flex or other stringing materials, which makes the item more likely to break over time. When looking at an artist’s auctions and admiring their beads, you can tell someone who is making and selling their own beads by the quality, unique appearance, and number of available items. Why is this important? Well although some Chinese import beads look nice, the people producing them are overseas in a factory where they are most likely not being protected from the dangers of the craft. Most workers do not get appropriate eye protection, the ventilation is inadaquate, and they are paid so little per bead they must work many long hours to produce enough to create the 1000 sets a week. This is not a good quality of life and can compromise the health and well being of those making the beads. You can be proud of buying artisan lampwork wherever it is made, but try to buy from a self representing artist if you want the best quality and someone who will stand behind their work for many years to come

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