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==Components==
Beads can be made of many different materials. The earliest beads were made of a variety of natural materials which, after they were gathered, could be readily drilled and shaped. As humans became capable of obtaining and working with more difficult materials, those materials were added to the range of available substances.<ref name="beads_nytimes">{{cite news |last1=Banks |first1=Libby |title=Beadwork Regains Its Jewelry Appeal |work=The New York Times |date=30 January 2024 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/30/fashion/jewelry-beadwork.html |access-date=21 February 2024 |ref=beads_nytimes}}</ref>

Beads were a part of different cultures, each made with different materials throughout history and using beads to form something handmade. Beads came in different colors, shapes, and forms, what materials were used, and whether there was a meaning or meaning behind the beads.

In modern manufacturing, the most common bead materials are [[wood]], [[plastic]], [[glass]], [[metal]], and [[stone]].

=== Natural materials ===
Beads are still made from many naturally occurring materials, both organic (i.e., of [[animal]]- or [[plant]]-based origin) and inorganic (purely [[mineral]] origin). However, some of these materials now routinely undergo some extra processing beyond mere shaping and drilling such as color enhancement via [[dyes]] or irradiation.

The natural organics include [[bone]], [[Coral (precious)|coral]], [[Horn (anatomy)|horn]], [[ivory]], [[seed]]s (such as [[tagua]] nuts), [[Exoskeleton|animal shell]]s, and [[wood]]. For most of human history, [[pearl]]s were the ultimate precious beads of natural origin because of their rarity; the modern [[Cultured pearl|pearl-culturing process]] has made them far more common. [[Amber]] and [[Jet (lignite)|jet]] are also of natural organic origin although both are the result of partial [[fossil]]ization.

The natural inorganics include various types of [[stones]], ranging from [[gemstone]]s to common [[mineral]]s, and [[metal]]s. Of the latter, only a few [[precious metal]]s occur in pure forms, but other purified [[base metal]]s may as well be placed in this category along with certain naturally occurring alloys such as [[electrum]].

=== Synthetic materials ===
[[File:Crystbeads.jpg|thumb|[[Swarovski]] crystal beads ({{cvt|6–8|mm}}), pendant {{cvt|3|cm}}]]
[[File:Swedish patent 217875 Sätt att för arbetsterapi.pdf|thumb|page=3|Swedish patent 217875: The plastic bead pegboard (1962)]]

The oldest-surviving synthetic materials used for bead making have generally been [[ceramic]]s: [[pottery]] and [[glass]].<ref name=beads_nytimes /> Beads were also made from ancient alloys such as [[bronze]] and [[brass]], but as those were more vulnerable to [[oxidation]] they have generally been less well-preserved at archaeological sites.

Many different subtypes of [[glass]] are now used for beadmaking, some of which have their component-specific names. [[Lead crystal]] beads have a high percentage of [[Lead(II) oxide|lead oxide]] in the glass formula, increasing the [[refractive index]]. Most of the other named glass types have their formulations and patterns inseparable from the manufacturing process.   

Small, colorful, [[Fuse beads|fusible plastic beads]] can be placed on a solid plastic-backed peg array to form designs and then melted together with a [[Ironing|clothes iron]]; alternatively, they can be strung into necklaces and bracelets or woven into keychains. Fusible beads come in many colors and degrees of [[Transparency and translucency|transparency]]/[[opacity]], including varieties that glow in the dark or have internal [[glitter]]; peg boards come in various shapes and several geometric patterns. Plastic toy beads, made by chopping plastic tubes into short pieces, were introduced in 1958 by Munkplast AB in [[Munka-Ljungby]], Sweden. Known as [[Indian bead]]s, they were originally sewn together to form ribbons. The pegboard for bead designs was invented in the early 1960s (patented 1962, patent granted 1967) by Gunnar Knutsson in Vällingby, Sweden, as a therapy for elderly homes; the pegboard later gained popularity as a toy for children.<sup>[1]</sup> The bead designs were glued to cardboard or [[Masonite]] boards and used as [[trivet]]s. Later, when the beads were made of [[polyethylene]], it became possible to fuse them with a flat iron. Hama come in three sizes: mini (diameter 2&nbsp;mm (0.079&nbsp;in)), midi (5&nbsp;mm (0.20&nbsp;in)) and maxi (10&nbsp;mm (0.39&nbsp;in)).<sup>[2]</sup> Perler beads come in two sizes called classic (5&nbsp;mm) and biggie (10&nbsp;mm). Pyssla beads (by [[IKEA]]) only come in one size (5&nbsp;mm).