By Sandra J. Paluzzi
The Bead Peddler®

Acrylic plastic sheets were used during World War 2.  I remember the onset of acrylic plastic's popularity in the mid 60s.  I was living in an ocean town and can still remember seeing jewelry proudly marked - genuine lucite or genuine acrylic.  It always seemed a misnomer to me - genuine synthetic plastic?  That is not to say that there are not many benefits to acrylic beads.

First of all, acrylic beads are  inexpensive. They are  also light weight.  You can put an awful lot of acrylic beads on a necklace without weighing the wearer down.  Large, chunky beads can be great fun when done in acrylic.  Acrylic does not break so a small child can learn to thread a heavy rope through a large acrylic bead. 

The plastic is also clear and can take on many colors and finishes.  The pinks and purples that so elude glass beads make up perfectly in acrylic.  Acrylic beads can be laminated to form stripes or patterns.  They can shimmer, sparkle  or appear frosted.  They can have multi facets.  They can be shaped like flowers, animals or anything else that the mind can imagine.   Rhinestones can be imbedded in their surface.  Flowers can be surrounded or encased within the clear acrylics. 

On the down side, they can crack and they do have mold marks.   Still, you can get a lot of look for a very little bit of money.  That makes them perfect for many uses.   You can wear today's fad in acrylic without spending a fortune.  If it's out of style next year, oh, well, no big deal.  Acrylic is also perfect for young girls.  They can start early to design their own jewelry in fun colors and shapes.  Acrylic beads can be a great entry level craft for the future artisans of tomorrow.   They're also fantastic when price is an issue.  You can bet there's a lot of acrylic beads present in the movies and local theater productions. And also in today's trendy long necklaces with station set large chunky beads.