John Bead

What John Bead does

John Bead is a Toronto, Canada-based B2B wholesaler and distributor of beads, tools, components, and crafting supplies, founded in 1954 by Fritz John to introduce Czech crystal culture to the western DIY crafts market. The company maintains a 50,000+ SKU catalog spanning Czech seed beads and bugles, Miyuki Delicas and seed beads, Matubo 2-hole beads (Superduo, Miniduo, Gemduo, Ginko), Swarovski Elements, Preciosa Czech Crystals, Crystal Lane DIY (its proprietary DIY crystal sub-brand), semi-precious stones, fire-polished Czech beads, kits and assortments, findings, stringing materials, fashion embellishments, leather and feathers, trims, precious metals, organizers and packaging, and a registered proprietary Cylin Beads cylindrical seed-bead line. Customers are approved wholesale accounts (business credentials required) with minimum opening orders of $300, per-order minimums of $200, and annual purchase minimums of $2,000.

The business operates a sales-led GTM motion via its own e-commerce storefront and phone-based ordering, serving two horizontal segments: wholesale craft and jewelry businesses (primary, business unit segment) and DIY craft enthusiasts and designers (persona segment). Distribution is anchored by the Toronto headquarters and a USA distribution center in Blasdell, NY, supporting North American fulfillment. Marketing is conducted through owned channels including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, a dedicated blog, and email newsletter.

The revenue model is straightforward wholesale product resale with minimum order qualifications. The company is privately held with no disclosed parent, no funding rounds, and no reported revenue or valuation; ownership and current executive structure beyond founder Fritz John are not disclosed in available materials. There is no evidence of AI/ML capabilities, API/SDK offerings, mobile applications, or third-party integrations in the input data.

Name

John Bead

Legal name

John Bead

Website

https://johnbead.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

John Bead is a B2B wholesaler and distributor of beads, crafting supplies, tools, and components, founded in 1954 in Toronto, Canada. It serves approved wholesale craft and jewelry-making businesses across North America via a 50,000+ SKU e-commerce catalog and USA distribution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Beads and Crafting Supplies Distribution

NAICS

Jewelry, Watch, Precious Stone, and Precious Metal Merchant Wholesalers (42394), Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing (33991)

SIC

Wholesale-Jewelry, Watches, Precious Stones & Metals (5094), Jewelry, Silverware & Plated Ware (3910)

akta.pro primary industry

Beading & Jewelry-Making Supplies Retail (CRALACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Beading & Jewelry-Making Supplies Retail (CRALADAK), Fine Jewelry Wholesale & Trading (CRAKAAAL)

Keywords

• Wholesale bead distribution
• Crafting supplies wholesale
• Jewelry making materials
• Crystal and seed beads
• Jewelry findings and tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Bead and Crafting Supplies: B2B wholesale distribution of beads, crafting supplies, and related materials. Products include Czech seed beads, Miyuki Delicas, Swarovski Elements, Preciosa Czech Crystals, semi-precious stones, findings, tools, and various crafting materials. Revenue generated through wholesale product sales with minimum order requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

John Bead is a B2B wholesale distributor of beads, crystals, jewelry findings, stringing materials, tools, and crafting supplies, offering 50,000+ SKUs sourced from manufacturers including Czech producers, Miyuki, Swarovski, and Preciosa, plus its own proprietary Cylin Beads line. The company sells exclusively to approved business accounts with minimum order requirements and ships from Toronto, Canada and Blasdell, NY.

Product overview

John Bead is a beads and crafting supplies wholesaler established in 1954, offering 50,000+ products primarily for retail bead shops and craft businesses. The company operates as a B2B wholesale platform requiring valid business credentials for access. Their product portfolio centers on seed beads (Czech, Japanese Miyuki, proprietary Cylin), crystal elements (Swarovski, Preciosa, Crystal Lane DIY), semi-precious stones, and comprehensive jewelry-making supplies including findings, stringing materials, tools, and fashion embellishments. The core offerings include multiple seed bead types across various sizes and finishes, 2-hole beads (Matubo Superduo, Miniduo, Gemduo), and themed categories like Soccer products. They serve the DIY crafting and jewelry-making market from distribution centers in Toronto, Canada and Blasdell, NY.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Crystal Lane DIY: A sub-brand featuring DIY crystal components including rondelle beads, bicone beads, twisted crystals, pendants, banding, flat back rhinestones, hotfix rhinestones, sew-on rhinestones, and tools.

Products and services

• Cylin Beads Cylindrical seed beads made with advanced manufacturing technology, featuring smooth, consistent, and brilliant color. Delivers clean rows, precise spacing, and a refined finish for loom and off-loom beadwork.
• Czech Seed Beads and Bugles Traditional Czech beads known for high quality, available in many colors and coatings with finishes for creative beading.
• Miyuki Delicas and Seed Beads Japanese glass seed beads from Miyuki, including Delicas, Tila, Half Tila, Magatamas, and various seed bead sizes, known for high quality, brilliance, and uniform shape.
• Matubo Seed Beads and 2-Hole Beads Czech-made beads including Superduo, Miniduo, Gemduo, Ginko, and Matubo seed beads featuring two-hole designs for versatile beading patterns.
• Crystal Lane DIY John Bead sub-brand of DIY crystal and rhinestone products including rondelle bead strands, bicone strands, twisted crystals, pendants, banding, flat back rhinestones, hotfix rhinestones, sew-on rhinestones, and tools.
• Swarovski Elements Austrian crystal elements including sew-on stones, flat backs, hot fix flat backs, buttons, connectors, beads, rhinestone beads, pendants, drops, banding, chatons, and fancy stones.
• Preciosa Czech Crystals Czech crystal products including pearls, pointed back chatons, fancy stones, rivoli fancy stones, flat back rhinestones, hotfix flat backs, sew-on stones, beads, pendants, drops, and Faerie for nails.
• Semi-Precious Stones Natural and semi-precious stones including Agate, Amethyst, Aventurine, Carnelian, Citrine, Coral, Fluorite, Garnet, Howlite, Jade, Jasper, Labradorite, Lapis, Malachite, Moonstone, Obsidian, Onyx, Pyrite, Quartz, Rhodonite, Rose Quartz, Selenite, Sodalite, Tiger Eye, Tourmaline, Turquoise, and more.
• Czech Fire Polished Beads Fire-polished Czech glass beads available in round, flat, miscellaneous, and hill bead styles with various finishes.
• Kits and Assortments Bead kits and assortments including DIY craft kits, Czech recipe boxes, value seed bead boxes, value bead boxes, Miyuki bead kits, bracelet kits, wood bead kits, craft bead bags, bead bar Czech glass bead bags, craft packs, and sequin kits.
• Findings Jewelry findings including cones, western findings, head pins, eye pins, jump rings, bails, clasps, fasteners, earring findings, bead caps, crimps, bar pins, split rings, metal blanks, snaps, eyelets, neckchains, bookmarks, settings, keychains, sliders, stainless steel findings, and Kumihimo kits.
• Fashion Embellishments Fashion embellishments including acrylic flat backs, sequins, paillettes, appliques, crystal motif appliques, patches, buttons, belt buckles, hair embellishments, costume garments, carnival masks, zippers, vintage cameos, tassels, and Czech glass cabochons.
• Stringing Materials Materials for stringing beads including stringing wire, stretch cord, beading threads, wire-wrapping wire, soutache, leather cords, rattail satin cord, suede lacing, cotton waxed cords, nylon knotting cord, sinew, hemp cords, paracord, and macrame cords.
• Tools, Glues, and Supplies Beading tools and supplies including needles, crochet hooks, knitting tools, glues, pliers, GoodFelt beading foundation, bead looms, spinners, bead boards, mats, and leather tools and dyes.
• Precious Metals Precious metal findings and materials including bronze, brass, sterling silver, 14k gold filled, and 18k gold plated items.
• Leather, Furs, and Hides Leather materials including leather hides, tooling leather, rabbit/fox/beaver/coyote furs and skins, faux suede sheets, and tails.
• Feathers Feathers including hat trims, feather pads, boas, coque feathers, ostrich feathers, pheasant feathers, and peacock trims.
• Pendants and Charms Pendants and charms in metal, metalized, wood, shell, bone/horn, and faceted glass bezel styles.
• Trims Trims including fused pearls, metallic trim, fringe, braid, beaded fringe, embroidered trim, ribbon, chains, rhinestone banding, and rhinestone chains.
• Organizers, Displays and Packaging Organizers and display products including bags, displays, wood organizers, vials, containers, and gift bags.
• Crafts General craft supplies including craft kits, bells, pom-poms, chenille stems, wood craft supplies, picture frames, miniatures, native dolls, doll accessories, brushes, paints, foam, felt, glitter, sequins, and metal rings for dream catchers and macrame.
• Value Seed Beads Budget-friendly seed beads including Japanese seed beads, Chinese seed beads and bugles, and value bead boxes.
• Soccer Products Soccer-themed beads, charms, and accessories including soccer kits, soccer beads and charms, and twisted crystal country colors.
• Printed Catalogs Printed product catalogs distributed to wholesale business accounts to support bulk ordering.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Fire Mountain Gems: One of the largest US-based wholesale and direct bead, jewelry-making, and craft supply distributors. Competes directly with John Bead across Czech, Miyuki, and Swarovski bead assortments serving both retail and B2B customers.
• Beadaholique: Online-first retailer and wholesaler of beads, findings, and jewelry-making supplies carrying overlapping premium brands (Swarovski, Miyuki, Czech glass). Closely comparable in product breadth, B2B/wholesale positioning, and target DIY customer.
• Rio Grande: Established wholesale supplier of jewelry-making supplies including beads, findings, metals, and tools serving professional jewelers and serious hobbyists. Directly comparable supply range to John Bead's findings, stringing, and precious metals categories.
• Artbeads: Online bead and jewelry supply retailer carrying Czech glass, seed beads, crystals, findings, and tools. Comparable product mix and customer base to John Bead, with overlapping Swarovski, Miyuki, and Czech bead lines.
• Potomac Beads: Bead and jewelry-making supplies retailer with strong seed bead and Czech crystal assortment. Directly comparable to John Bead in product category focus and DIY jewelry-maker customer base.
• Dakota Stones: Wholesale supplier specializing in natural and semi-precious stone beads, directly overlapping John Bead's semi-precious stones category with comparable B2B wholesale distribution model.

Broad incumbents

• Michaels Companies: Largest North American specialty retailer of arts, crafts, and bead supplies. Comparable end-customer base to John Bead's DIY craft segment, but operating at retail scale and breadth far beyond John Bead's wholesale focus.
• JOANN Stores: Major US craft and fabric retailer carrying bead, jewelry-making, and craft supplies. Comparable end-market and product overlap with John Bead, though distributed through physical retail rather than B2B wholesale.
• Etsy: Global online marketplace for handmade and craft goods including finished beaded jewelry. Not a direct wholesale competitor but a downstream platform where John Bead's B2B customers sell, making it a strategic ecosystem participant in the same value chain.
• AliExpress / Alibaba: Mass-market online marketplace hosting large volumes of low-cost Chinese seed beads, crystals, and findings. Competes at the value tier of John Bead's catalog and pressures pricing for both wholesale customers and end consumers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/JohnBeadCorp
• Facebookfacebook.com/johnbeadcorp
• Instagraminstagram.com/johnbeadcorp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about John Bead