The Beauty Of Bone Beads: Coloring and Characteristics of Bone Beads For Jewelry

The over-saturation of the jewelry industry means it's almost impossible to find jewelry that can make you stand out. Unlike other materials, bone beads are less common in jewelry and guaranteed to make your necklace or earrings steal the show. One of the many wonderful things about bone beads is how practical they are for coloring. Coloring bone beads results in beautifully ornate beads, ideal for a statement necklace or a meaningful pair of earrings.

In this blog post, we're sharing why bone beads deserve a place in your jewelry collection as we talk you through how we dye bone beads and why they're a one of a kind material.

What Are Bone Beads?

It's possible you've never heard of bone beads before. This raw material isn't one you're likely to come across at your local retail store or jewelry establishment. Bone beads are an ethical and sustainable alternative to most mass-produced, poor quality jewelry.

As their name would suggest, bone beads are jewelry beads fashioned out of discarded animal bone. At Threaded Jewel, we use discarded buffalo horns and bones to create elegant and ornamental bone beads for our one of a kind bone bead jewelry.

Reputable brands that sell products using bone beads will ensure the sourcing of bone beads is environmentally friendly and never cruel to animals. Once a buffalo has naturally passed away, their remains are collected and donated to regulated governmental depots. The horns of these deceased buffalo are collected and brought back to life in Threaded Jewel's beautiful, colorful jewelry. Through funding and working alongside a team in Uttar Pradesh, India, the Threaded Jewel team has been able to source and purchase these raw materials, extending the legacy of the buffalo and employing hundreds of workers in India.

Dying Bone Beads

Being protein-based and with a grain similar to wood, bone beads are highly absorbent and perfect for coloring. The intensity of the color of your bone bead depends on its exposure to the dye. The longer the dye exposure, the more intense the color will be. Once the dying process has taken place, the beads are coated in a topcoat to ensure dye doesn't run, and the color doesn't fade over time. Either soaking the beads or using a sponge works effectively for dying bone beads. Soaking bone beads results in a solid, block color, whilst using a sponge enables more intricate designs and textures.

The Beauty Of Bone Beads

Physical Appearance

Due to being created from natural, raw materials, no two bone beads will ever look the same. Each bead has its own shape and texture, and each will absorb the dye differently. The different shapes and textures of bone beads reflect the authenticity and individuality of the natural world they originate from. Coloring bone beads is so magical due to each bone bead absorbing the dye differently. All colored bone beads have a distinctive finish, personal to you and your piece of jewelry. Even when decorated with color and design, and embellished with other materials, bone beads still reflect the beauty and individuality of the natural world. Their signature earthy aesthetic allows you to connect with nature and show your appreciation for this beauty.

Characteristics

Although the beauty of bone beads is one of the reasons this unique material is ideal for jewelry making, bone beads also attain unique characteristics. Created from animal remains, bone beads are a way to honor the legacy of these animals. When you wear a buffalo bone necklace, you're paying homage to this animal. Rather than being mass-produced in a factory from a mixture of chemicals and poor-quality, polluting materials, bone beads are hand made and attain character and history from their previous life. Coloring bone beads is the perfect alternative to non-environmentally-friendly jewelry manufacturing.

Colored bone beads contribute to a circular economy whilst exhibiting respect and admiration for the beauties of the natural world.

The future of jewelry manufacturing resides in bone bead coloring. Rather than mass-producing the same low-quality necklace or earrings, guaranteed to tarnish after a few wears, bone beads are a stylish and meaningful jewelry alternative. Full of character and with the ability to be dyed and designed in numerous ways, there's a piece of bone jewelry to suit every wardrobe. Say no to simplistic and outdated jewelry and invite the characteristics and undeniable beauty of bone beads into your beloved jewelry collection.

To discover the perfect piece of bone bead jewelry for your wardrobe, check out our collection of beautiful artisan bone bead jewelry here.