TOHO BEADS is the world's leading glass bead manufacturer that emphasizes the entire manufacturing process, including the mixture of glass sand which is the raw material used for making beads. The glass beads are "Made in Hiroshima" and we will introduce the manufacturing process, along with the original Penta brand jewelry.
TOHO BEADS has been Popular among Worldwide
Fashion and Craft Designers over the Years
TOHO Co., Ltd was founded in Hiroshima in 1951 and is involved in a wide range of businesses that include manufacturing glass beads and selling its original brand jewelry. TOHO's bead factory is a 1-hour drive from Hiroshima station and is located in an environment rich in greenery that is surrounded by mountains where the water is clean. Glass bead manufacturing starts with mixing the raw materials, and some manufacturing processes have as many as 30 steps, achieving various colors, textures, glitter, transparency, and so on. Each bead beautifully expresses the fantastical world.
The Glass Beads' Manufacturing Process and
Japanese Artisan Skills
Initially, glass materials such as high-quality silica powder and sodium carbonate are mixed with coloring agents.
When the raw materials are heated to 1300 C (2372 F) in a melting furnace for 20 hours, they transform into a glass material with a malt syrup-like appearance. The glass that melted into a malt syrup-like appearance is removed from the melting furnace. A special machine expands the glass while air is being blown into the core of the glass, forming an extremely thin glass tube.
Then a blade that rotates at high speeds cuts the glass tube. The glass is heated in a rotating furnace at approximately 700 C (1292 F) to melt the edges of the cut glass tubes to form round beads. Stains such as charcoal and ashes on the bead surfaces are gently washed off using pure natural water acquired locally, which is then dried with hot air. The beads whose surfaces with a "frosted" (polished form) texture are exposed to an electric furnace at 700 degrees C (1292 F) to melt only the surfaces for a beautifully shining glossy finish.
Finally, the color-adding steps are applied once or several times to express the beauty of vivid color variations on each bead where some of the finishes include the touch of jewel beetles, chrome, luster, and aurora.
Colorful Earrings Offer an Elegant Touch Around Your Face.
Penta's standard shape earrings that use a Lotus as a motif. These glass beads are light despite their size and offer a stress-free feel when worn for long hours. It suits your taste and can add loveliness to both casual and formal fashion. Formed by knitting beads with a beading thread, without using instant glue. So their earrings are swaying gracefully. These beads are handcrafted by TOHO BEADS, which is loved by fashion designers and craft designers for many years throughout the world.
