Some Wholesale Bead Buying Terms

Purchasing wholesale beads may be a little daunting at first, especially when you see terminology you might not understand. Here are some of the terms you may see when you purchase beads in bulk: • Mass: A mass of beads holds approximately 1200 beads, while a half mass holds approximately 600. • Gross: A gross contains 144 beads. • Hank: A hank of beads contains enough beads to make 12, 12-inch strands. The number of beads in a hank depends on the size of the bead. They can range anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 beads or more when purchasing seed beads. • Mille: A mille holds 1000 pieces. • Ounce: 1 ounce equals 28 grams. • Grams: 448 grams equal 1 pound. • Kilo: A kilo equals 1000 grams or 2.2 pounds. These measurements refer to all beads – glass, gemstone, and precious stone beads.