The BeadSmith
The BeadSmith is a family-owned wholesale distributor founded in 1983 in Carteret, New Jersey, supplying jewelry-making tools, beads, components, and stringing materials to bead resellers, bead stores, jeweler supply houses, and manufacturers across more than 100 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersCarteret, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The BeadSmith does
The BeadSmith is a family-owned wholesale distributor of jewelry-making supplies founded in 1983 and headquartered at a 50,000 square foot facility in Carteret, New Jersey. The company employs approximately 85 people and serves bead resellers, bead stores, jeweler supply houses, and qualified manufacturers across more than 100 countries. Its product portfolio spans nine categories — beads, findings, kits and sets, looms, stringing and chain, storage and display, supplies, tools, and wire — and includes proprietary offerings under the Basic Elements sub-brand, German-made Herkules saw blades, and distributed brands such as Griffin silk cord, Beadalon, Miyuki, Preciosa, and Swarovski.
The BeadSmith runs a B2B wholesale distribution model with login-gated pricing and quantity-based discounts, supplemented by a Preferred Reseller Program that authorizes selected resellers to sell on Amazon, Walmart, Etsy, and eBay. Customers transact through direct wholesale sales, the beadsmith.com storefront, and the approved reseller channel. Products are sourced globally to support a one-stop-shop value proposition centered on catalog breadth, competitive pricing, and 40 years of operating continuity.
The company is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, acquisitions, or institutional backing, and it maintains an EU regulatory presence through TerrainQ Solutions UG in Berlin. Industry recognition includes the 2025 Hot 100 award from Bead&Button Magazine. No AI or software-platform capabilities are evident in the offering; the business is fundamentally a physical-goods wholesale distributor.
The BeadSmith firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The BeadSmith
- Legal name
- The BeadSmith
- Website
- https://beadsmith.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The BeadSmith is a family-owned wholesale distributor founded in 1983 in Carteret, New Jersey, supplying jewelry-making tools, beads, components, and stringing materials to bead resellers, bead stores, jeweler supply houses, and manufacturers across more than 100 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The BeadSmith industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Jewelry Making Supplies
- NAICS
- Jewelry, Watch, Precious Stone, and Precious Metal Merchant Wholesalers (42394), Piece Goods, Notions, and Other Dry Goods Merchant Wholesalers (424310), Jewelry Retailers (458310)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Jewelry, Watches, Precious Stones & Metals (5094), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Beading & Jewelry-Making Supplies Retail (CRALACAE)
Keywords
Where The BeadSmith is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Carteret
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The BeadSmith business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Wholesale jewelry supply distribution: B2B wholesale distribution of tools, beads, components, stringing materials, and jewelry making supplies to bead resellers, bead stores, and manufacturers. Products sourced globally to provide one-stop shopping.
- Preferred Reseller Program: Approved reseller program for ecommerce marketplace sales (Amazon, Walmart, Etsy, eBay) requiring written authorization
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Herkules Saw Blades 12-piece pack |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | LubriCan Jewelers' Tool Lubricant |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | CraftVac Mini Vacuum USB Rechargeable |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Thread Zap II Battery Operated |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
The BeadSmith product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The BeadSmith distributes a comprehensive catalog of jewelry-making supplies — beads, findings, kits, looms, stringing materials, tools, wire, storage, and crafting consumables — sourced globally from brands such as Swarovski, Preciosa, Miyuki, Griffin, Herkules, Beadalon, and Soft Flex. The company sells primarily wholesale to bead resellers, bead stores, jeweler supply houses, and qualified manufacturers in over 100 countries, with parallel direct-to-consumer sales through its own e-commerce site. It also curates and distributes its own branded product lines including the Basic Elements collection and exclusive partnerships like Herkules German saw blades.
Product overview
The BeadSmith operates as a B2B/B2C e-commerce platform offering a comprehensive portfolio of jewelry-making supplies. The product range spans nine main categories: Beads (various types including crystal, Czech glass, seed beads, metal beads), Findings (clasps, crimps, pins, jump rings), Kits & Sets (maker kits, bead sets, finding sets), Looms (beading looms, Kumihimo, macrame boards), Stringing & Chain (thread, wire, cord including Fireline and Griffin silk), Storage & Display (organization solutions), Supplies (adhesives, needles, media), Tools (pliers, cutters, saws, stone setting, torches), Wire (craft wire in various metals), and Work Surfaces (trays, boards, mats). Notable tool products include the CraftVac Mini Vacuum (USB rechargeable cleanup tool), Herkules Saw Blades (German-made precision blades), Crimp Forming Pliers, Thread Zap II (thread burner), 1-STEP LOOPER pliers series, Beadsmith Power Spinner (motorized stringing), and Spin & String wooden bead spinners. The company also carries branded lines including Basic Elements, Griffin silk cord, and Fireline beading thread.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Basic Elements: A sub-brand line of jewelry making tools and crafting products curated for jewelry designers and DIY creators.
Products and services
- Beads Wide range of beads including acrylic mixes, crystal (Preciosa, Swarovski), Czech glass (fire polish, pressed glass, mix strands), seed and bugle beads (Delica, cylinder, round, squares, twins), metal beads, mood beads, cotton pearls, and limited edition beads. Sold wholesale to bead resellers and retail to jewelry makers.
- Findings Jewelry components and findings including bails, enhancers, bead caps, cones, clasps, crimps, crimp covers, cymbal elements, earring components, head pins, eye pins, jump rings, split rings, and specialty items like bookmarks and hair accessories.
- Kits & Sets Curated jewelry-making kits including Maker Kits, Bead Sets, Finding Sets, and Bead Caddy portable storage kits featuring bead variety and organization for creativity on the go.
- Looms Beading looms including traditional beading looms, Kumihimo looms, macrame boards, and Quick Start Peyote tools for creating intricate beadwork.
- Stringing & Chain Stringing materials including beading thread, beading wire (Flex-Rite), chain, clear cord, Fireline/Slon Fire/Wildfires, French wire, leather and suede, macrame cord, memory wire, nylon cord, satin, silk, stretched cord, waxed cord, and rhinestone banding.
- Storage & Display Organization and display solutions including boxes, jars, totes, clam shells, cord storage, display and packing materials, plastic tubes, resealable bags, tool storage, and work surfaces.
- Supplies Crafting supplies including adhesives, backing and textiles (Bead Foundation, Stiff Stuff, Ultrasuede), anti-tarnish and cleaning products, media (books, videos, DVDs), needles and needle cases, finish and color products, resin craft, and wax and thread conditioner.
- Tools Jewelry-making tools including awls, knotting tools, bench equipment, clamps, vices, cutters, punches, dapping and doming tools, files, drills, flatback and hot fix tools, hammers, glue syringes, optical aids, mandrels, pliers, saw frames and blades, spinning wheels, stone setting and riveting tools, torches, soldering equipment, tweezers, and wireworking tools.
- Wire Craft wire including beading wire, aluminum soft wire, copper soft and medium hard wire, German style medium hard wire, precious metals, stainless steel hard wire, memory wire, French wire, and wire forms and snowflakes.
- CraftVac Mini Vacuum USB rechargeable cordless mini craft vacuum for effortless cleanup and organization in creative workspaces. Part of the Basic Elements line; features two attachments, adjustable suction levels, filter screen, and bottom storage compartment. Suggested retail $35.99.
- Herkules Saw Blades German-made premier saw blades for cutting common alloys, metals, bone, pearl, and hard materials. Made from special-alloy steel with long service life and consistent flexibility. Available in sizes 6/0 through 5, in 12-piece or 144-piece packs. Suggested retail $5.99 per pack with quantity discounts.
- Crimp Forming Pliers Pliers that create perfect crimps by transforming 2mm metal crimps into secure crimps without sharp edges. Features comfortable handles, sturdy design for use with flexible beading wires, and a two-step crimping process.
- Thread Zap II Battery-operated thread burner considered the best all-around thread burner. Heats to 700°F/371°C within seconds with replaceable tips. Features fine filament tip for precision burns on finest threads and knots. Suggested retail $16.49 with quantity discounts.
- 1-STEP LOOPER Pliers that enable trimming and looping in one simple step. Features a hole in the upper jaw for use with long wire and ensures consistent loop size. Available in 1.5mm, 2.25mm, 3mm loop sizes and a left-handed version.
- Beadsmith Power Spinner Motorized bead stringing tool with 2 needles and 3 cups with lids. Allows rapid bead loading onto needles for efficient necklace, bracelet, and garland stringing. Suitable for both right- and left-handed beaders.
- German Style Saw Frame Premium saw frame crafted from hardened tool steel with adjustable blade lengths and tensions. Features contoured wooden handle and serrated clamps. 3-inch (80mm) depth, 210 grams weight.
- Saw Frame Kit with German Blades Plus Vise Entry-level cutting system including Indian saw frame with 3-inch depth, hardwood bench clamp with V-slot, and premium German-made saw blades. Complete system for precision sheet metal cutting.
- LubriCan Jewelers' Tool Lubricant High-quality non-toxic lubricant for jewelry tools including saws, drill bits, and reamers. Reduces friction and heat, extends tool life, and ensures smooth clean cuts. Suggested retail $12.99.
- Fireline Beading Thread Microfused braided bead thread consisting of Dyneema gel-spun polyethylene. Available in 4lb, 6lb, 8lb, and 10lb test sizes. Made in USA.
- Griffin Silk Cord 100% pure silk cord for knotting beads, pearls, and gemstones. Pre-threaded on flexible stainless steel needles. Available in sizes 2 through 8, in white, black, and other colors. Made in Germany.
- Smart Setter Stone Setting Tool Tool for effortlessly setting Swarovski crystal stones into bezel cups or cup chains with a single push. Color-coded options correspond to different stone sizes. Designed to work with Gita Jewelry stone setting components.
- EZ-Rivet Tool Kit Metalworking tool for cold forging process, enabling artisans to join soft and sensitive metals without soldering. Features interchangeable 1/16" and 3/32" kits, works with metal sheets up to 18 gauge.
- Basic Elements Product Line Curated sub-brand line of jewelry making tools and crafting products for jewelry designers and DIY creators, including products like the CraftVac Mini Vacuum and Basic Elements Standing Loom.
Companies that use The BeadSmith
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The BeadSmith technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
The BeadSmith partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- TerrainQ Solutions UGminorEU Responsible Party representing The BeadSmith in Europe. Located at Franz-Ehrlich-Straße 12, 12489 Berlin, Germany. Provides regulatory compliance support for EU market operations.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The BeadSmith competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fire Mountain Gems: One of the largest direct-to-consumer and wholesale suppliers of beads, findings, and jewelry-making supplies in the US. Directly competes with The BeadSmith across the same core categories (beads, stringing materials, tools) and shares a similar B2B/B2C hybrid model serving both resellers and individual designers.
- Beadaholique: Online-first retailer specializing in beads, crystals, and jewelry-making supplies with strong video tutorial content. Closely comparable to The BeadSmith's product mix and customer base (bead designers and DIY jewelry makers), though it skews more DTC than B2B wholesale.
- Rio Grande: Major US wholesale distributor of jewelry-making supplies, findings, tools, and metals serving jewelers and bead designers. Overlaps significantly with The BeadSmith in findings, tools, and stringing materials, with a comparable B2B wholesale focus on trade customers.
- Halstead Supply: Wholesale-only distributor of jewelry findings, chain, and beads serving independent jewelry designers and small manufacturers. Highly comparable B2B wholesale model and overlapping product categories (findings, chain, beads) with The BeadSmith's jeweler supply house segment.
- FusionBeads.com: Online bead retailer focused on designer-quality Czech glass, seed beads, and findings with strong instructional content. Directly comparable to The BeadSmith in product range (beads, findings, stringing) and target end-customer profile.
- Beadshop.com: Online bead and jewelry-making supplies retailer focused on designer-quality Czech glass, seed beads, and crystals. Comparable to The BeadSmith in core bead assortment (Czech glass, seed beads, Swarovski) with overlap in tools and findings.
Broad incumbents
- Stuller: One of the largest US-based jewelry manufacturers and wholesalers, offering findings, metals, and finished jewelry across a much broader catalog than The BeadSmith. Competes in the wholesale findings and tools category but serves a wider professional jeweler base.
- Michaels Companies: Largest US specialty craft retailer carrying a broad assortment of beads, jewelry-making kits, and tools. Differs from The BeadSmith by serving the mass-market retail hobbyist, but competes for end-consumer bead and jewelry-making spend and resells some overlapping branded product.
- JOANN: Major US fabric and craft retailer with a substantial beading and jewelry-making supplies department. Comparable assortment at the entry-level and intermediate hobbyist tier where JOANN overlaps with The BeadSmith's retail-side offerings.
Emerging players
- Potter USA: US distributor of premium Japanese seed beads (Miyuki) and bead weaving supplies. Partial overlap with The BeadSmith's seed bead and Japanese brand offering; more specialized toward bead-weaving artisans.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The BeadSmith social profiles
Digital presenceThe BeadSmith financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The BeadSmith leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The BeadSmith funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The BeadSmith M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The BeadSmith
What does The BeadSmith do?
The BeadSmith distributes a comprehensive catalog of jewelry-making supplies — beads, findings, kits, looms, stringing materials, tools, wire, storage, and crafting consumables — sourced globally from brands such as Swarovski, Preciosa, Miyuki, Griffin, Herkules, Beadalon, and Soft Flex. The company sells primarily wholesale to bead resellers, bead stores, jeweler supply houses, and qualified manufacturers in over 100 countries, with parallel direct-to-consumer sales through its own e-commerce site. It also curates and distributes its own branded product lines including the Basic Elements collection and exclusive partnerships like Herkules German saw blades.
Is The BeadSmith a public or private company?
The BeadSmith is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was The BeadSmith founded?
The BeadSmith was founded in 1984. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The BeadSmith based?
The BeadSmith is headquartered in Carteret, United States, in the North America region.
How does The BeadSmith make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Wholesale jewelry supply distribution is the primary driver. The others are preferred Reseller Program.
Who are The BeadSmith's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fire Mountain Gems, Beadaholique, Rio Grande, Halstead Supply, FusionBeads.com and Beadshop.com. Broad incumbents are Stuller, Michaels Companies and JOANN. Potter USA is listed as an emerging player.
Does The BeadSmith have an API?
No public API is recorded for The BeadSmith.
What industry is The BeadSmith in?
The BeadSmith's product category is Jewelry Making Supplies. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALACAE, Beading & Jewelry-Making Supplies Retail. Its NAICS code is 42394 and its SIC code is 5094.