For decades, Swarovski has been an icon among rhinestone manufacturers. Many consumers choose this name brand over all other rhinestone types. However, declining profits amid a global pandemic has caused Swarovski to re-evaluate its manufacturing. Currently, the company is undergoing restructuring including a 20% reduction in its workforce. In addition to reducing its workforce, Swarovski is eliminating portions of its business. By November 2021, the company will no longer produce Swarovski crystal components, such as crystal rhinestones, for resale. This means individuals will no longer be able to purchase Swarovski rhinestones from retailers. However, the company plans to continue to produce components for high end luxury brands. If you’re a diehard Swarovski fan, what does this mean to you? Production of some crystal components will continue until November 2021. However, there will be stock shortages caused by their reduced workforce and factory production. Additionally, for a time there will still be some older stock available through Swarovski Authorized Resellers. Yet, the bottom line is, soon you won’t be able to purchase Swarovski Rhinestones. However, comparable rhinestones will still be available. Currently, Preciosa has no plans for reducing its workforce and will continue its ongoing production. Plus, there are many quality lower priced crystal rhinestones to fill in the gap. The Preciosa Brand Equals Superb Quality With Swarovski Rhinestones out of the retail picture, Preciosa may emerge from its shadow. Although equal to Swarovski in quality, Swarovski has dominated the market as the premier rhinestone brand. Yet, Preciosa is the oldest manufacturer of rhinestones with over 500 years of tradition. Moreover, it was Bohemian glassmakers who created the first cut crystal stone, the Chaton, in 1715. Daniel Swarovski didn’t start his company until 1895. Today, Preciosa continues its innovative tradition with over 35,000 premium products. You can find rhinestones, jewelry stones, beads, pendants, and pearls in the company’s inventory. Plus, the craftsmanship is equal to Swarovski. Preciosa’s Maxima Rhinestone is lead free with a refractive index equal to leaded crystal. With 15 precision cut facets, craftsmen designed this rhinestone for intense scintillation. You can find Preciosa crystal in flatback, hotfix, or sew-on rhinestones. With a multitude of colors, you’ll find a wide range of captivating colors and coatings. Moreover, these sparkling crystal colors come in over 200 rhinestones sizes and a variety of shapes. Furthermore, Preciosa adheres to all crystal industry standards. Additionally, products conform to ASTM standards and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. Rhinestones Etc. will be stocking the Maxima in the coming weeks. There Are Many Lesser-Known Inexpensive Quality Rhinestone Manufacturers In the past few years, non-brand name manufactures have proliferated the market. The Asian markets in particular, began producing a large quantity of rhinestones. Keep in mind that these manufacturers may produce either glass or crystal rhinestones. Although much cheaper in price, glass rhinestones lack the prismatic quality of crystal. Crystal has the ability to bend light producing rainbows. However, both have reflective properties through the facets and coating on the back. One particular less expensive crystal rhinestone that we love is the PriceLess. Made from the highest-grade crystal, these rhinestones are machine cut, hand polished, and inspected for quality. You’ll find consistent hue with no bubbles or cloudiness. Moreover, these rhinestones cost a lot less than comparable brands. Plus, PriceLess are available in a wide variety of colors and sizes. Currently, we have a few of these rhinestones in stock and plan to increase our offerings in the upcoming weeks. There Are More Rhinestone Types Than Just Swarovski While it’s sad to see Swarovski rhinestones leave the retail market, it does provide an opportunity to discover new products. Many of these products produce exceptional scintillation and brilliance at a lower price. Rhinestones Etc. has been selling quality products for over 10 years. We offer our products at discount prices without compromising quality or service. And because we know you need your rhinestones right away, we ship most orders within 24 hours.
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Have you ever purchased an article of clothing that you absolutely loved? And whenever you wore it you felt exquisitely beautiful? Wearing a piece of clothing that makes you feel that way can give you confidence. Like when you enter a social event and people look at you approvingly. However, continually buying costly additions to your wardrobe can cause serious issues in your budget. Creating beautiful bedazzled clothing is one way to update your wardrobe and stay trendy. By adding rhinestones, you create a new eye-catching look. And it’s simple to do.
You Can Bling Out Any Article of Clothing
You can bedazzle any type of clothing including dresses, shirts, jeans, handbags, and shoes. And why stop there? Rhinestones can enhance sunglasses, keychains, and barrettes. All you need are a few simple tools: adhesive, tweezers or embellishment tool, and of course rhinestones.
Which Adhesive Is the Best?
There are several really good adhesives you can use. Gem-Tac, Fabri-Tac, and E6000 are just a few of the more popular ones. Just make sure your glue is washable, dries clear, and is suitable for whatever material you’re blinging. For example, some adhesives won’t adhere adequately to leather. Some others aren’t suitable for use with acrylic rhinestones. Be sure to check the glue’s application guidelines before you start your project. Otherwise, you glue choice is just a matter of preference. The Technique for Gluing Rhinestones Is Vital Many people focus solely on using the right adhesive. And while using a good glue is important, the technique for gluing rhinestones is equally important. Failure to create a good seal around your rhinestones may cause them to fall off. So, how do you apply rhinestone crystals to fabric? Rhinestones need a seal to keep them from peeling off. Thus, some glue should seep out from the edges of the rhinestone when you press it into the glue drop. Typically, your glue drop should be slightly smaller to the exact size of your rhinestone. Then allow your garment to dry flat for 24 hours. What Other Tools Should I Have? Like many other projects, there are a lot of extra tools you can buy. While they do make bedazzling clothing easier, you can begin with just a few simple ones. First, you need something to use to pick up the rhinestones. Tweezers are an inexpensive tool most people have at home. Although tweezers work adequately, you must continually remove glue build up from the tips. Plus, be careful not to squeeze the tweezers too hard or your crystal may go flying. Wax pick-up tools make applying rhinestones straightforward and uncomplicated. The rhinestones stick to the wax tip and easily dislodge into the glue. Some simple style tools are inexpensive at about $3. While other more sophisticated products like the Krystal Katana are about $25.00. Sorting trays and syringes for glue are nice to have but not essential when you start out. You can purchase these items later on if you decide to do more bling projects.
Bedazzled Clothing Is Easy and Fun to Make
So, what are you waiting for? Creating bedazzled clothing is fun and easy to do. And you’ll look great in your blinged out clothing. Do you need to purchase some rhinestones? We have a nice selection of Preciosa Rhinestones at competitive prices! With fast shipping and great customer service, we want to be your source for rhinestones. . Whatever type of product you buy, there’s a level of quality. Apparel, houses, cars, and many other things have characteristics that distinguish them from others of the same type. It’s these traits that also determine the price you’ll pay. For example, there is a big price difference between buying a handbag made from vinyl or one from leather. Rhinestones aren’t any different from other products. Different characteristics influence production and hence cost. Some factors that affect rhinestone pricing are raw material, size, shape, color, and cut. Generally, there are 3 basic classifications for the types of rhinestones available: crystal, glass, and plastic. Yet, even among manufacturers that use similar raw materials and techniques, there are price differences. Understanding these differences can help you pick the best rhinestone for your project. What Is the Rhinestone Made From? First, manufacturers use different kinds of materials to produce rhinestones. Some use plastics like resin or acrylic. Others produce glass rhinestones. Still others produce crystal rhinestones. Furthermore, each company uses different raw materials and particular processes for manufacturing. The raw materials and manufacturing help determine the cost of the rhinestone product. Of all the materials used for rhinestones, plastics are the most inexpensive to produce. Plastics are cheaper due to the low amount of energy needed to produce them. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, glass manufacturing is among the most energy-intensive industries. This includes crystal, a distinctive type of glass. Generally, crystal is more expensive than ordinary glass. This is due to the difference in raw materials. In the past manufacturers created crystal components by adding lead to make glass clearer and more refractive. With the health concerns over lead, many manufacturers developed formulas using other ingredients like barium oxide. These new lead-free crystals have the same brilliance and shine as leaded crystal rhinestones. However, the materials to produce crystal are more expensive than those of ordinary glass, thus making crystal more expensive. Are the Rhinestones Molded or Cut? Facets are the plane surfaces on a rhinestone that reflect light back to the viewer. The greater the number of facets, the more angles for light to bounce off the stone. Additionally, some light enters the rhinestones reflects off the silver foil backing and back to the viewer. It is the unique proportion and arrangement of these facets that make a rhinestone sparkle. Depending on the type of rhinestones, some manufacturers create facets by molding. While others cut the facets onto the surface of the rhinestone. Resin and acrylic rhinestones are molded rhinestones. Some glass rhinestone manufacturers mold their product, while others cut facets. Whereas crystal rhinestone manufacturers precision cut and polish the facets of their rhinestones. Molded rhinestones are the cheapest because manufacturers can produce them in one step. Manufacturers simply inject the raw material into the mold and allow it to harden. Whereas glass manufacturers must cut the rhinestone multiple times and then polish each facet. This additional labor drives up the cost. Even Among Similar Manufacturers There Can Be Price Differences For over 100 years, two brand name rhinestone manufacturers have been synonymous with high quality rhinestones, Preciosa and Swarovski. In particular, Preciosa traces its beginnings back to the early 1700s when Bohemian glassmakers introduced the world’s first cut rhinestone. Then, in 1895, one Bohemian glassmaker, Daniel Swarovski, invented a machine for cutting crystal faster and more precise. Today, both these brands are known for their high quality. Preciosa’s Maxima rhinestone boasts 15 facets, while Swarovski’s product has 16. Over the years, other companies have emerged to produce cheaper rhinestones. DMC rhinestones originated in Korea as a cheaper alternative to the name brands. Typically, DMC rhinestones are glass rhinestones with 12 facets. Generally, DMC rhinestones are a medium quality stone for a lot less money than the name brands. MC are generally Chinese manufactured stones. The facet cut and general quality of MC rhinestones are lower than DMC rhinestones. Generally, resin and acrylic are the cheapest of all rhinestone choices due to their low energy and material costs. These types of rhinestones are great for children’s crafts for this reason. However, even among these two types of stones, the price can be very different between manufacturers. This can be due to the quality of raw materials and the quality of the molds. Typically, cheaper produced varieties cloud or yellow as they age. Common Imperfections in Lower Cost Rhinestones Name brand rhinestones are known for their flawless product. You’ll want to use a name brand rhinestone when embellishing items that require the very best. Dance costumes and formal wear are times you may want to spend the extra money on a perfect rhinestone. Often, cheaper rhinestones have imperfections. For example, if manufacturers don’t keep up with the integrity of the molds, imperfects can occur in the rhinestones. Additionally, flow lines may appear if the material cools inconsistently. Bubbles are a common problem in cheaply produced plastic and glass rhinestones. Inconsistent color between rhinestone batches is also prevalent among the more cheaply produced manufacturers. Variances in Rhinestone Pricing Reflect the Quality of the Rhinestone
With the large variety of rhinestone products, picking the right one for your project can be difficult. Purchasing the cheapest is not always wise. Rhinestone pricing can help determine the quality of the product. Knowing and understanding these qualities can help you make an informed decision. If you still have questions, feel free to contact here. We love to answer your questions. And if you're looking for quality rhinestones at competitive prices and great customer service, shop Rhinestones Etc. Small, medium, or large - it’s a question we’re asked frequently. When there are multiple sizes for the same item, you need to decide which size is best. Sometimes this is an easy task as when you’re deciding on coffee sizes. Occasionally, you may need the caffeine in the large size while on other days, the small will do. Other times, it can be more difficult, like when your choosing rhinestone sizes. Rhinestones are available in sizes from a tiny pinhead to large quarter size, and everything in between. With such a large assortment of sizes, it can be difficult to choose one. |
KarenI have been adding bling for over 20 years. Through my projects, I hope you find inspiration. Categories
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