If you've ever stood in a bead shop (or scrolled through an online bead shop) staring at the thread options wondering which one to pick, you're not alone. Thread choice can feel overwhelming at first, but once you understand what each one does well, it starts to make a lot of sense. Let's walk through the main types I have experience with and when I reach for each one.
Nymo
Nymo is probably the most widely known beading thread, and for good reason — it's affordable, widely available, and comes in a huge range of colours. It's a nylon thread that works well for loom work and off-loom stitches like peyote and brick stitch. The one thing to know about Nymo is that it can be prone to twisting, tangling and fraying so I'd recommend running it through beeswax or thread conditioner before you start. This was the thread I learnt to bead with.
KO Thread
KO is a Japanese nylon thread that I have a soft spot for. It's finer and smoother than Nymo, which means it passes through small bead holes easily — brilliant for anything requiring multiple thread passes. It has a lovely drape and doesn't tangle or fray as much as Nymo in my experience. If you're doing intricate work with size 15 seed beads, KO is worth trying. It's a little pricier, but for the right project it's absolutely worth it.
One-G
One-G is another Japanese nylon thread, similar to KO but with a slightly different texture and feel. Where KO is very smooth, One-G has a subtle grip to it, which some beaders find helps keep tension more consistent. I find the two fairly interchangeable for most projects, but I tend to prefer One-G for beading which requires a bit of structure — that gentle grip seems to help the beads sit just right.
Fireline
Fireline is a braided fishing line that was adopted by the beading community, and honestly, it's easy to see why. It's incredibly strong, resistant to fraying, and holds its shape well — which makes it a great choice for more structural work or anything using heavier beads. It doesn't need conditioning and it's very resistant to abrasion which makes it perfect for working with crystals and pearls which can have sharp edges. The trade-off is that it has a bit less drape than a nylon thread, so for delicate or flexible pieces it can feel a little stiff.
Fireline mainly comes in two colours - crystal (white) and smoke (black). It also comes in different thicknesses or weights - depending on what size fish you want to catch! If you buy Beadsmith branded Fireline, 4lb is fine, and good for multiple thread paths, 6lb is good for everyday beading and 8lb is sturdy and really only suitable if you're not using size 15 seed beads.
I tend to buy my fireline from a fishing supply shop, and my preferred thread is Fireline Thermally Fused Tough 0.10mm, and honestly this is my favourite go to thread.
I tend to buy my fireline from a fishing supply shop, and my preferred thread is Fireline Thermally Fused Tough 0.10mm, and honestly this is my favourite go to thread.
So Which Should You Choose?
Here's a quick rule of thumb I go by:
For everyday seed bead stitching without many crystals or bead embroidery: KO or One-G
For heavy beads, structural pieces or anything with a lot of crystals: Fireline
For loom work or when you're on a budget: Nymo
For tiny beads with tight holes: KO or a fine fireline
There are lots of other threads out there, wildfire, SoNo, durathread, S-lon to name but a few, but I don't have experience working with these, so I can't give an honest review of them.
Honestly, the best thing you can do is try them all on a small project and see which one feels right in your hands. Every beader ends up with their own preferences, and yours might be completely different from mine — and that's totally fine!
For years, KO and One-G were my favourites, and now I almost exclusively use Fireline. Do you have a favourite thread I haven't mentioned? I'd love to hear about it in the comments.