A Jeweller’s Guide to Nylon Thread: Types, Sizes and Best Uses

Nylon thread for jewellery making is not a single product. It covers three distinct construction types, ten or more diameter options and applications ranging from fine pearl knotting to heavy macramé statement pieces. GRIFFIN produces the most comprehensive professional nylon thread range in the market. Understanding which of the three product types matches which application is the most important decision before any nylon-based project begins. This guide maps each type, its specifications and its ideal uses.

Why Nylon Outperforms Many Natural Alternatives for Modern Jewellery

Natural silk is the traditional premium stringing material and remains the professional standard for pearl knotting. Nylon has specific performance advantages that make it the correct choice for an increasing range of applications:

Vegan-compliant: All GRIFFIN nylon cord products are 100% synthetic with no animal-derived content.
Moisture resistant: Nylon degrades significantly more slowly than silk when exposed to humidity, perspiration and daily handling, an advantage for bracelets and pieces worn through active wear.
Higher break strength: GRIFFIN NylonPower delivers approximately twice the tensile strength of conventional nylon bead cord. For heavy gemstones and applications where maximum cord security is required, nylon is the engineering choice.
Wider diameter range: GRIFFIN’s nylon products extend from 0.20mm to 2.0mm, a range that silk cord (0.3mm to 1.05mm) does not cover, particularly at the larger diameters used for macramé and Shamballa designs.

Type 1: GRIFFIN NylonPower – The Carded Option with Needle

NylonPower is GRIFFIN’s direct functional equivalent to Natural Silk for bead and pearl knotting. It is sold on 2-metre cards with a pre-attached stainless steel needle. Key specifications:

Material: Extra-strong synthetic nylon, approximately 2x tensile strength of conventional nylon
Stretch: 3 to 4% elastic stretch under tension
Twist: Triple twisted, Z-Twist, the same construction as GRIFFIN Natural Silk
Needle: Stainless steel needle pre-attached on every card
Colours: 21, the vibrant colour palette
Sizes: 13, No. 0 (0.30mm) to No. 16 (1.05mm)
Card length: 2 metres

NylonPower is the correct choice when a project would otherwise call for GRIFFIN Natural Silk but vegan compliance is required, when extra strength at the same cord diameter is needed, or when the piece will be subjected to moisture exposure that would degrade silk. The 3 to 4% elasticity becomes intuitive quickly, knots require a firm pull to seat fully, and the finished piece has a slightly more springy character than equivalent silk work.

Type 2: GRIFFIN Jewelry Nylon – The Spool Option for Volume Work

GRIFFIN Jewelry Nylon is a polished, single-twist (S-Twist) nylon cord on continuous spools. It is REACH certified and offers the widest colour range of any GRIFFIN nylon product. Key specifications:

Twist: Single twist, S-Twist, polished surface with long-lasting brilliant colour
Colours: 27 beautiful colour palette in the GRIFFIN nylon range
Diameters: 10, JN1 (0.20mm) through JN10 (2.0mm)
Format: Spools for continuous cord supply
REACH certified
Applications: Crocheted jewellery, woven beadwork, rocaille and seed bead stringing, long single-strand necklaces, braiding and volume production work

The spool format is the defining advantage. For any maker who uses nylon cord at volume, who requires more than 2 metres for a single project, or who works with techniques requiring continuous uninterrupted cord, the spool eliminates the card-end interruption. The 27-colour range also provides colour options not available in the carded products.

Type 3: GRIFFIN Braided Nylon – For Macramé and Shamballa

GRIFFIN Braided Nylon Cord is a round braid kernmantle rope construction: a braided outer sheath over a structured core. This is a fundamentally different construction from both NylonPower and Jewelry Nylon. Key specifications:

Construction: Round braid kernmantle rope, braided outer sheath over core
Surface: Textured braided surface that grips knots more firmly than smooth cord
Elasticity: Reduced stretch compared to single-strand nylon
End sealing: Ends can be heat-sealed with a brief flame pass rather than glued
REACH certified
Colours: 20
Diameters: 6 sizes, 0.3mm, 0.5mm, 1.0mm, 1.2mm, 1.5mm and 2.0mm
Spool lengths: 10m, 20m and 25m formats

The textured surface is the most significant practical differentiation. Square knots, the foundation of Shamballa and macramé construction, hold more firmly on a textured braided surface than on smooth cord. The mechanical interlocking of braided fibres at knot contact points supplements friction-based grip, making even spacing and consistent knot faces significantly more achievable.

The three spool lengths (10m, 20m, 25m) let makers match format to project scale: 10m for single-piece Shamballa work, 20m or 25m for small-batch production and longer macramé designs.

Nylon Thread Size Guide: 0.2mm to 2.0mm

The size selection across GRIFFIN’s three nylon products covers the full practical range for jewellery applications:

20mm to 0.30mm (Jewelry Nylon JN1-JN2): Ultra-fine seed bead, crochet jewellery, micro-bead work
30mm to 0.50mm (NylonPower No. 0-3; Jewelry Nylon; Braided 0.3/0.5mm): Fine bead and gemstone stringing, small freshwater pearls
60mm to 0.80mm (NylonPower No. 4-8; Jewelry Nylon): Standard pearl and bead knotting, Shamballa central cord
85mm to 1.05mm (NylonPower No. 10-16; Jewelry Nylon; Braided 1.0mm): Larger pearls, heavier gemstones, Shamballa knotting cord
50mm to 2.0mm (Jewelry Nylon JN9-JN10; Braided 1.5/2.0mm): Macramé, chunky statement pieces, large-hole beads, decorative cord designs

The numbering systems differ between products. NylonPower uses GRIFFIN size numbers (No. 0-16). Jewelry Nylon uses JN1-JN10. Braided Nylon specifies diameter in mm. When comparing across products, always use the millimetre diameter as the common reference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is the difference between GRIFFIN NylonPower and GRIFFIN Jewelry Nylon?

NylonPower is a triple-twisted cord on 2-metre cards with a pre-attached needle, designed for bead knotting. It is the vegan alternative to GRIFFIN Natural Silk. Jewelry Nylon is a single-twist polished cord on continuous spools in 27 colours and 10 diameters, designed for crochet, weaving and volume work where long cord runs are needed.

Q2. What size nylon thread do I need for standard bead stringing?

For standard 6mm to 8mm round beads, GRIFFIN NylonPower No. 6 (0.70mm) or No. 8 (0.80mm) are the most commonly appropriate sizes. Test the cord through a sample bead: it should pass through twice with slight resistance.

Q3. Is GRIFFIN NylonPower vegan?

Yes. NylonPower is 100% synthetic nylon with no animal-derived content at any stage of production. It is GRIFFIN’s confirmed vegan alternative to Natural Silk, in the same 21 colours and 13 sizes with the same pre-attached needle.

Q4. What spool lengths does GRIFFIN Braided Nylon come in?

GRIFFIN Braided Nylon is available in 10m, 20m and 25m formats. Choose 10m for single-piece Shamballa and macramé projects, or 20m and 25m spools for small-batch production where continuous cord supply is preferred over multiple shorter lengths.

Q5. Why is braided nylon better for Shamballa bracelets than smooth cord?

The textured surface of braided nylon grips square knots more firmly than smooth cord, because the braided fibres interlock mechanically at the knot contact points. This supplementary grip means knots hold their position during tightening and resist loosening under the repeated stress of daily wear.

Q6. Can I heat-seal GRIFFIN Braided Nylon cord ends?

Yes. The nylon composition means cut ends can be sealed with a brief pass of a lighter flame, fusing the fibres and preventing unravelling. This is the recommended finishing method for Braided Nylon and produces a cleaner end than gluing. Do not hold the end directly in the flame, pass it through the flame quickly.