Where to Buy Silk Cord for Jewellery: What to Check Before You Order

Two cards of silk cord can look identical in a product photo and behave very differently at the bench: one knots cleanly and holds its shape against a pearl, the other turns fuzzy at the needle end after a dozen beads. Deciding where to buy silk cord for jewellery is therefore less about the shop than about what the shop is selling. This guide sets out what to check on the specification, the card, and the order itself, with GRIFFIN 100% Natural Silk as the reference, and ends with a checklist to run before you pay.

What actually varies between one silk cord and another

Five things separate one silk beading thread from the another, and a good listing states all of them: the part of the cocoon the fibre comes from, how the thread is twisted, whether a needle is attached, how the sizes are numbered and measured, and how much cord each card holds. A listing that leaves one of them out leaves the buyer to discover it with the first strand.

Filament Silk from the centre of the Cocoon, and why the source matters

GRIFFIN 100% Natural Silk is made from the high-quality centre of the silk cocoon thread, the part known as filament silk. Filament silk is the long, continuous section of the fibre. Silk from shorter lengths has to be spun, and spun thread carries far more fibre ends along its length, which is where fuzz begins.

At the bench, the source shows in three ways. The thread runs smoothly through drill holes, it keeps a natural shine that harmonises with the sheen of pearls, and pearl necklaces knotted with it lie perfectly on the body. The fibres are as soft and smooth as silk, flexible and excellent to work with. When a listing says only "silk", ask which part of the cocoon it comes from.

Triple Twist: What it does to knot retention

Triple twisted means that every thread receives three precise twists under controlled tension during production. The results are the ones knotters notice first: the thread does not fray, it does not tangle as it comes off the card, and it forms a compact knot that keeps its shape. That last quality is knot retention. A knot that stays firm and round sits against the bead hole instead of creeping into it, so the spacing between pearls stays even.

Before ordering in quantity, tie three knots on a short length and pull each one tight against a bead. A well-twisted thread gives three knots of the same size, with no loose filaments standing out from any of them.

The integrated stainless steel needle and what it saves you

Every card of GRIFFIN carded silk cord comes with a stainless steel beading needle attached, so no separate needle is needed. The saving goes beyond threading time. A separate needle doubles the cord at its eye, so the drill hole must pass twice the cord's diameter; with the needle attached, the thread passes at its own diameter. For the same pearl, that allows a larger thread size and a larger knot.

White 100% Natural Silk is also made with a needle at each end, in sizes No. 0 to No. 12, on 2 m cards.

Reading a card: size number, diameter, colour, length

GRIFFIN sizes are called thread sizes and are numbered from No. 0 to No. 16. The online store lists each size by diameter and card length, for example "0.30 mm / L-2m", so it helps to read both systems side by side.

Colour is given by its GRIFFIN name, and every card holds 2 m of thread. A listing that shows size, colour name, and card length together is showing a complete specification. For choosing the size against a drill hole, the complete buyer's guide to GRIFFIN Natural Silk bead cord goes into detail.

The 21 colours and how to match them to a pearl

GRIFFIN 100% Natural Silk comes in 21 natural colours: White, Light Pink, Dark Pink, Coral, Red, Garnet, Yellow, Amber, Blue, Dark Blue, Lilac, Amethyst, Turquoise, Jade Green, Green, Olive, Cornelian, Beige, Brown, Grey, and Black. The palette is the same across all 13 sizes, which is why pro-amateurs refer to a shade simply by its GRIFFIN name.

Match the thread to the body colour of the pearl rather than its overtone, and judge it in daylight with the pearl lying on the card: white for white pearls, light pink or beige where a pearl shows a rosé or cream tone, grey or black for dark pearls. On an opaque pearl the thread shows only in the knots, but on a pale or slightly translucent pearl it also reads through the drill hole, so choose a shade lighter rather than darker. For gemstone strands, a thread in the stone's own colour keeps the knots quiet; turquoise, jade green, and amethyst are the obvious starting points.

Buying direct against buying through a stockist

GRIFFIN silk cord is available through griffin1866store.com, and the same cord is sold from the same catalogue.

Buying direct from the GRIFFIN Online store (www.griffin1866store.com) gives access to the full published range, worldwide delivery, and the volume discounts set out below. It suits buyers who already know their sizes and colours and want to buy jewellery making supplies online in one order.

Minimum quantities, the 5-piece and 10-piece packs

GRIFFIN carded silk bead cord is sold in packs of 5 or packs of 10 cards, each pack holding one colour in one size. In the catalogue, item numbers for 5-piece packs carry the suffix V.

The 5-piece pack suits a single commission or a colour being tried for the first time. The 10-piece pack suits the sizes and colours used every week. To plan quantity, count cards per strand: a Choker or Princess strand is knotted from one 2 m card, while Opera and Queen strands may need two.

Opening a trade account: discount tiers and volume steps

GRIFFIN works from one published price list with automatic discounts. Volume steps apply to the net value of goods in an order, excluding freight and taxes: 5% from €1,000 or $1,000, 7% from €1,500 or $1,500, and 10% from €2,000 or $2,000. Orders above €500 or $500 net ship free.

Customer-tier discounts based on yearly turnover apply alongside the volume steps. The discount page sets out the details, and trade enquiries go to service@griffin1866.com. Under GRIFFIN's terms for commercial customers, payment is due within 21 days of the invoice date unless otherwise agreed.

A pre-order checklist

1. Fibre: 100% Natural Silk, filament silk from the centre of the cocoon thread.

2. Construction: Triple twisted, checked with three test knots.

3. Needle: Two needles for white silk in sizes No. 0 to No. 12.

4. Size: Thread size number and diameter, chosen against your tightest drill hole.

5. Colour: The GRIFFIN colour name, checked against the pearl in daylight.

6. Quantity: 2 m per card, in packs of 5 or 10 pieces, counted per strand.

7. Route: The Online store, 

8. Order value: Check against the volume steps and the free-shipping threshold.

The cord behind the checklist

Worked in order, the checklist narrows the choice quickly: filament silk from the centre of the cocoon, triple twisted, needle attached, the largest size that still passes the tightest drill hole, the colour name held against the pearl in daylight, and the pack size that matches the work booked in. Settle the route last, direct from the Online store or through a stockist on the dealer list, and check the order value against the volume steps before paying, since the difference between one card short and one step up is often a single pack. GRIFFIN 100% Natural Silk is available through griffin1866store.com