Embrace sustainability and style with the Fair Trade Recycled Glass Bead Necklace. This substantial necklace features an array of recycled glass beads in soothing shades of blue and green, complemented by brass, wood, and stone beads for a truly eclectic look. Each piece is a testament to skilled craftsmanship and ethical fashion, perfect for the eco-conscious fashionista.
- Materials: Glass beads, stone beads, brass beads, wood beads
- Length: About 29 inches
- Origin: Made in the USA with beads from various regions
- Unique Features: Handmade, ensuring minor variations in each piece while maintaining a consistent aesthetic
- Design: Chunky bead necklace in calming blue and green tones, ideal for adding a statement to any look
design: A chunky, graduated bead necklace centered on large sea-glass-toned recycled glass nuggets in blue and green, balanced by faceted wood, white stone, and brass beads, and finished with a leather cord and brass hook clasp.
size: About 29 inches in length.
material: Recycled glass beads, wood beads, stone beads, brass beads, leather cord, brass clasp.
features: Chunky graduated recycled glass beads, mixed-media beadwork, hand-strung on leather cord, brass hook-and-eye clasp, handmade with natural variation
care: Wipe clean with a soft, dry cloth and store flat or laid out, away from moisture, perfume, and direct sun, which can dull the glass and dry out the leather cord.
disclaimer: Because each necklace is hand-strung from recycled glass, wood, and stone beads, the exact color, shape, and size of individual beads will vary slightly from piece to piece.
The Story
The heart of this necklace is recycled glass beadmaking, a craft that turns discarded glass — bottles, jars, window panes — into new, wearable material. Glass is collected, crushed, and ground down, then packed into molds and fired until it slumps and fuses into a bead shape. The result is never perfectly uniform: each bead carries small air bubbles, subtle color shifts, and a slightly frosted, hand-finished surface, which is exactly what gives this piece its organic, sea-worn look.
Pairing those glass beads with faceted wood, chalky white stone, and hand-finished brass is a deliberate mixed-media approach common to beadwork traditions that build a necklace bead by bead rather than casting it as a single form. The graduated sizing — small accent beads near the clasp, building to large nuggets at the center front — is a classic beadstringing structure meant to draw the eye down toward the body of the necklace.
Because recycled glass beadmaking depends on repurposing what would otherwise be waste, it sits at the intersection of craft and resourcefulness: skilled hands are what turn broken glass into something meant to be worn and kept.
Making a bead like the ones on this necklace starts with sorting glass by color, then crushing and grinding it to a coarse powder. That powder is packed into a mold and fired until the glass softens and fuses into a rounded, slightly irregular shape, which is why no two beads come out quite the same. Once cooled, each bead is drilled through the center and hand-finished. The wood beads are cut and faceted by hand, the brass elements are cast and polished, and the whole necklace is hand-strung and knotted onto leather cord, finished with a hand-forged brass hook clasp.
Craft & Materials
- Made In: USA
- Craft Tradition: Recycled glass beadmaking
- Ideal For: Anyone who wants a substantial, eco-conscious statement necklace with a handmade, one-of-a-kind character.
- Wear It With: Let it anchor a simple crewneck top or linen dress so the graduated glass beads stay the focal point.
- Purpose: Everyday statement wear, layering piece, gift for the eco-conscious jewelry lover
- Metal: Brass
Questions & Answers
Is this necklace made from real recycled glass?
Yes. The large blue and green beads are made from recycled glass, ground down, molded, and fired into shape, so each one has its own slight variation in color and texture.
How long is the necklace?
It measures about 29 inches in length.
What other materials are used besides glass?
The necklace combines recycled glass beads with wood, stone, and brass beads, strung on a leather cord with a brass hook clasp.
Will my necklace look exactly like the photo?
It will be very close, but since the beads are handmade, expect small natural differences in bead color, shape, and size from piece to piece.
How should I care for it?
Keep it away from moisture and perfume, and wipe it down with a soft, dry cloth after wear to keep the glass, wood, and leather in good condition.
