CJ BEADERS LIMITED
CJ Beaders is a privately held UK online retailer selling beads, jewellery-making supplies, and tools to hobbyist crafters and professional jewellery makers. The family-owned business is the sole UK distributor for ImpressArt and operates exclusively through its own e-commerce storefront.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersNew Milton, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What CJ BEADERS LIMITED does
CJ Beaders is a UK-based online retailer of beads, jewellery-making supplies, and tools, founded in 2004 by Claire and Jane Halls in Basingstoke, Hampshire. The company serves both hobbyist crafters and professional jewellery makers, stocking a comprehensive range of products including Miyuki and Czech glass beads, multi-hole beads (Czechmate, Superduos, Zoliduo), Swarovski crystals, bead stringing materials (beading wire, silk thread, Fireline, leather, S-Lon, Wildfire), findings (clasps, bails, chain, crimps, ear wires, Tierracast components), jewellery wire (artistic wire, memory wire, craft wire), specialist tools (pliers, cutters, crimping tools, jigs, needles), and ImpressArt metal-stamping supplies. The company previously operated a physical bead shop in Highcliffe from August 2010 until January 2016, when the landlord ended the lease, and transitioned to fully online-only operations in September 2025.
The business runs on a standard OpenCart-based e-commerce storefront with no proprietary technology beyond a deep product catalogue (over 1,200 Miyuki colour variants across sizes), a blog/articles section, and customer-account functionality. CJ Beaders is the authorised UK distributor for Beadalon, Shesto, Xuron, and GRIFFIN products (since 2009), John Bead of Canada (since 2011), and was appointed sole UK distributor for ImpressArt in 2013. Distribution is exclusively direct-to-consumer via the company's own website, with free UK delivery on orders over £35, same-day postage on orders placed before 3pm on weekdays, and a trade-account program offering bulk discounts to professional jewellery makers (minimum £50 before VAT). Marketing relies on email newsletters, an affiliate program (standard 0.001% commission), blog content, and attendance at bead fairs around the UK.
The company is privately held by the founding family, with no external institutional investment, private equity, or venture capital funding evidenced. The associated legal entity is registered as Wholesale Beads Ltd. CJ Beaders reports 1-10 employees and operates as a single-country retailer in the United Kingdom with no formal international expansion. Revenue, ARR, GMV, and customer-count figures are not publicly disclosed. In April 2013, Graham Halls departed CJ Beaders to establish Wholesale Beads Ltd as a separate wholesale entity, allowing CJ Beaders to focus on retail sales.
CJ BEADERS LIMITED firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CJ BEADERS LIMITED
- Legal name
- Wholesale Beads Ltd
- Website
- https://www.cjbeaders.com/
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- CJ Beaders is a privately held UK online retailer selling beads, jewellery-making supplies, and tools to hobbyist crafters and professional jewellery makers. The family-owned business is the sole UK distributor for ImpressArt and operates exclusively through its own e-commerce storefront.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CJ BEADERS LIMITED industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Beads and Jewellery Making Supplies
- NAICS
- Sewing, Needlework, and Piece Goods Retailers (45913)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Jewelry, Watches, Precious Stones & Metals (5094)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Beading & Jewelry-Making Supplies Retail (CRALACAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Crafting Tools & Equipment Retail (Cutting, Adhesives, Heat Tools) (CRALACAC), Beading & Jewelry-Making Supplies Retail (CRALADAK)
Keywords
Where CJ BEADERS LIMITED is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New Milton
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
CJ BEADERS LIMITED business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail Product Sales: Direct sales of beads, jewellery making supplies, tools, findings, and accessories through the company's e-commerce website. Products include Miyuki beads, Czech beads, Swarovski crystals, wires, tools, and findings. Prices range from under £1 to over £4,000 for complete bead collections.
- Affiliate Program: CJ Beaders operates an affiliate program where members earn commission by placing links on their websites. The standard commission rate is 0.001%.
- Trade Account Sales: Special pricing and bulk discounts offered to professional Jewellery or Craft makers who sell products to retail customers. Minimum trade order of £50 before VAT.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Unit pricing for individual items and bulk packs |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Trade account pricing with bulk discounts |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
CJ BEADERS LIMITED product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CJ Beaders retails beads, jewellery-making supplies, tools, findings, stringing materials, and craft accessories through its own e-commerce website. The catalogue covers Miyuki Japanese precision beads, Czech glass beads, Swarovski crystals, multi-hole beads, bead stringing cords and wires, jewellery findings, craft wire, tools, metal stamping supplies, and craft kits. The business distributes third-party brands and serves both hobbyist crafters and professional jewellery makers in the UK.
Product overview
CJ Beaders is an online bead shop and jewellery making supplies retailer offering a comprehensive range of craft materials through a standard e-commerce platform. The product portfolio centres on Miyuki Japanese precision beads (Delicas, seed beads in sizes 6/0 through 15/0, Tila, Half Tila, Quarter Tila, spacers, and bugles), complemented by Czech glass beads (bicones, fire-polished, pearls, and shaped varieties), multi-hole beads (Czechmate series, Superduos, Zoliduo), and miscellaneous beads including acrylic, semi-precious, and metallic options. The business also stocks essential consumables: bead stringing cords and wires (beading wire, silk thread, S-Lon, Wildfire, waxed cotton, leather), findings (clasps, bails, chain, crimps, ear wires), jewellery wire (artistic wire, memory wire, craft wire), tools (pliers, cutters, crimping tools, bead mats, needles), Swarovski crystals, metal stamping supplies (ImpressArt stamps and blanks), and craft books and kits. The site operates a single e-commerce storefront with no modular product architecture.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Miyuki Beads
Companies that use CJ BEADERS LIMITED
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
CJ BEADERS LIMITED technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
CJ BEADERS LIMITED partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- ImpressArtcoreCJ Beaders was appointed as sole UK distributor for ImpressArt products in 2013. ImpressArt is a manufacturer of metal stamping tools and blanks for jewellery making.
- John Bead of CanadacoreCJ Beaders became a distributor for John Bead of Canada in 2011. John Bead is described as one of North America's largest suppliers of beading products.
- BeadaloncoreCJ Beaders became a distributor for Beadalon products in 2009, following 5 years of experience reselling and selecting quality tools and findings. Beadalon is a major brand for beading wire and related products.
- ShestocoreCJ Beaders became a distributor for Shesto products in 2009. Shesto is a UK-based supplier of jewellery making tools and equipment.
- XuroncoreCJ Beaders became a distributor for Xuron products in 2009. Xuron manufactures precision hand tools for jewellery making.
- GRIFFINcoreCJ Beaders became a distributor for GRIFFIN products in 2009. GRIFFIN is known for silk thread and beading supplies.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights3 records
CJ BEADERS LIMITED competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Hobbycraft: UK's largest specialist craft retailer with nationwide stores and a broad online catalogue. Overlaps with CJ Beaders on beading, jewellery-making, and craft supplies, but operates a much wider assortment across many craft categories.
- Etsy (UK craft supplies sellers): Global online marketplace hosting thousands of UK-based bead and jewellery-making supplies sellers. Competes for the same hobbyist search traffic and offers an alternative sourcing channel, particularly for small-quantity and bespoke orders.
- Amazon UK (Handmade & Craft Supplies): Major generalist e-commerce platform with growing craft and bead assortment. Competes on price, selection depth, Prime delivery, and SEO reach against specialist retailers like CJ Beaders.
Direct peers
- The Bead Shop (beadshop.co.uk): Long-standing UK online bead and jewellery-making supplies retailer. Directly competes with CJ Beaders on Miyuki, Czech, Swarovski, findings, and tools, serving the same hobbyist and trade customer base.
- Creative Beads and Crafts: UK online specialist bead and jewellery-making supplies retailer. Directly comparable in product range (seed beads, Czech glass, findings, tools) and target customer (hobbyists and jewellery makers).
- The Happy Beader: UK-based online retailer focused on Miyuki, Czech, and multi-hole beads alongside findings and tools. Closely comparable niche, assortment, and customer segment to CJ Beaders.
- Totally Beads: UK online bead retailer offering seed beads, glass beads, pearls, findings, and stringing materials. Comparable direct-to-consumer beading supplies proposition with overlapping supplier brands.
- Beads Unlimited: UK bead and jewellery-making supplies retailer selling glass, crystal, and seed beads plus findings. Similar product mix and direct-to-consumer/trade dual model as CJ Beaders.
Regional players
- Wholesale Beads Ltd: UK wholesale bead and jewellery-making supplies business established in 2013 by Graham Halls, who split off from CJ Beaders. Highly comparable product lines and supplier relationships, but operates in the wholesale/trade channel rather than retail.
Others
- John Bead (Canada): One of North America's largest beading supplies wholesalers and a brand CJ Beaders distributes in the UK. Connected as both a supplier and an adjacent operator in the same product category, but geographically distinct (Canada vs UK).
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
CJ BEADERS LIMITED social profiles
Digital presenceCJ BEADERS LIMITED financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CJ BEADERS LIMITED leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
CJ BEADERS LIMITED funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CJ BEADERS LIMITED 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 CJ BEADERS LIMITED
What does CJ BEADERS LIMITED do?
CJ Beaders retails beads, jewellery-making supplies, tools, findings, stringing materials, and craft accessories through its own e-commerce website. The catalogue covers Miyuki Japanese precision beads, Czech glass beads, Swarovski crystals, multi-hole beads, bead stringing cords and wires, jewellery findings, craft wire, tools, metal stamping supplies, and craft kits. The business distributes third-party brands and serves both hobbyist crafters and professional jewellery makers in the UK.
Is CJ BEADERS LIMITED a public or private company?
CJ BEADERS LIMITED is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was CJ BEADERS LIMITED founded?
CJ BEADERS LIMITED was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is CJ BEADERS LIMITED based?
CJ BEADERS LIMITED is headquartered in New Milton, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does CJ BEADERS LIMITED make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Retail Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are affiliate Program and trade Account Sales.
Who are CJ BEADERS LIMITED's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Hobbycraft, Etsy (UK craft supplies sellers) and Amazon UK (Handmade & Craft Supplies). Direct peers are The Bead Shop (beadshop.co.uk), Creative Beads and Crafts, The Happy Beader, Totally Beads and Beads Unlimited. Wholesale Beads Ltd is listed as a regional player. John Bead (Canada) is listed as an others.
Does CJ BEADERS LIMITED have an API?
No public API is recorded for CJ BEADERS LIMITED.
What industry is CJ BEADERS LIMITED in?
CJ BEADERS LIMITED's product category is Craft Beads and Jewellery Making Supplies. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALACAE, Beading & Jewelry-Making Supplies Retail, with a secondary code of CRALACAC, Crafting Tools & Equipment Retail (Cutting, Adhesives, Heat Tools). Its NAICS code is 45913 and its SIC code is 5094.