Types and Sizes of Beading Thread and Stringing Material
See how a variety of beading and jewelry-making threads and light-duty cords measure up. Easy-to-use chart includes thread diameter in inches and millimeters for nylon, silk, FireLine® and more.
Monofilament
| Berkley® FireLine | |
| Size | Tensile Strength (PSI) |
| 0.06mm | 1lb |
| 0.08mm | 2lb |
| 0.10mm | 3lb |
| 0.13mm | 4lb |
| 0.15mm | 6lb |
| 0.18mm | 8lb |
| 0.20mm | 10lb |
| 0.23mm | 14lb |
| 0.30mm | 20lb |
| Berkley NanoFil | |
| Size | Tensile Strength (PSI) |
| 0.006-inch | 8lbs |
| Invizi™-Cord | |
| Size | Tensile Strength (PSI) |
| 0.25mm | 8lbs |
| Kevlar® | |
| Size | Tensile Strength (PSI) |
| 0.05mm | 6lbs |
| 0.2mm | 7lbs |
| Miyuki Dura-Line | |
| Size | Tensile Strength (PSI) |
| 0.12mm | 12lbs |
| 0.15mm | 18lbs |
Nylon
| C-Lon® | ||
| Size Measurement | Size Name | Tensile Strength (PSI) |
| 0.006-inch / 0.1524mm | AA | 6lbs |
| 0.0067-inch / 0.17mm | D | 9lbs |
| 0.0098-inch / 0.25mm | Micro Weight | 11lbs |
| 0.163-inch / 0.414mm | Fine Weight | 25lbs |
| 0.1969-inch / 0.5mm | Standard Weight | 34lbs |
| 0.03543-inch / 0.9mm | Heavy Weight | 74lbs |
| Griffin Nylon Power | ||
| Size Measurement | Size Name | Tensile Strength (PSI) |
| 0.013-inch / 0.33mm | No. 0 | 2lbs |
| 0.01378-inch / 0.35mm | No. 1 | 5lbs |
| 0.0177-inch / 0.45mm | No. 2 | 12lbs |
| 0.01969-inch / 0.5mm | No. 3 | 14lbs |
| 0.02362-inch / 0.6mm | No. 4 | 24lbs |
| 0.02559-inch / 0.65mm | No. 5 | 26lbs |
| 0.02756-inch / 0.7mm | No. 6 | 28lbs |
| 0.02953-inch / 0.75mm | No. 7 | 32lbs |
| 0.0315-inch / 0.8mm | No. 8 | 42lbs |
| 0.03543-inch / 0.9mm | No. 10 | 50+lbs |
| 0.03858-inch / 0.98mm | No. 12 | 50+lbs |
| 0.04016-inch / 1.02mm | No. 14 | 50+lbs |
| 0.04134-inch / 1.05mm | No. 16 | 50+lbs |
| K.O. | |
| Size | Tensile Strength |
| 0.0059-inch / 0.15mm | 4lbs |
| Nozue Sonoko | |
| Size | Tensile Strength |
| 0.0114-inch / 0.29mm | 8lbs |
| Nymo® | ||
| Size | Size Name | Tensile Strength |
| 0.005-inch / 0.127mm | OO | 2lbs |
| 0.006-inch / 0.1524mm | O | 4lbs |
| 0.008-inch / 0.2032mm | B | 4.5lbs |
| 0.012-inch / 0.3048mm | D | 8.5lbs |
| Spectra® | ||
| Size | Tensile Strength | |
| 0.004-inch / 0.1016mm | 18lbs | |
| 0.006-inch / 0.1524mm | 30lbs | |
| 0.012-inch / 0.3048mm | 50lbs | |
| Parachute Cord | |
| Size | Tensile Strength |
| 4mm | 550lbs |
| Silamide | ||
| Size | Size Name | Tensile Strength |
| 0.008-inch / 0.2032mm | A | 4lbs |
| Silkon® | ||
| Size | Size Name | Tensile Strength |
| 0.0116-inch / 0.2921mm | #1 | 11lbs |
| 0.013-inch / 0.33mm | #2 | 15lbs |
| 0.0163-inch / 0.414mm | #3 | 23lbs |
| TOHO BEADS® One-G™ | ||
| Size | Size Name | Tensile Strength |
| 0.0067-inch / 0.17mm | 0 | 6lbs |
| Twisted Nylon Cord | |
| Size | Tensile Strength |
| 0.0393-inch / 1mm | 50+lbs |
Silk
| Griffin Natural Silk | ||
| Size | Size Name | Tensile Strength |
| 0.0118-inch / 0.3mm | #0 | 2lbs |
| 0.01378-inch / 0.35mm | #1 | 5lbs |
| 0.0177-inch / 0.45mm | #2 | 12lbs |
| 0.01969-inch / 0.5mm | #3 | 14lbs |
| 0.02362-inch / 0.6mm | #4 | 24lbs |
| 0.02559-inch / 0.65mm | #5 | 26lbs |
| 0.02756-inch / 0.7mm | #6 | 28lbs |
| 0.02953-inch / 0.75mm | #7 | 32lbs |
| 0.0315-inch / 0.8mm | #8 | 42lbs |
| 0.03543-inch / 0.9mm | #10 | 50+lbs |
| 0.03858-inch / 0.98mm | #12 | 50+lbs |
| 0.04016-inch / 1.02mm | #14 | 50+lbs |
| 0.04134-inch / 1.05mm | #16 | 50+lbs |
| Purely Silk™ | ||
| Size | Size Name | Tensile Strength |
| 0.0050-inch / 0.127mm | OO | 2lbs |
| 0.0060-inch / 0.152mm | O | 2lbs |
| 0.007-inch / 0.178mm | A | 2lbs |
| 0.008-inch / 0.203mm | B | 4lbs |
| 0.0108-inch / 0.274mm | C | 5lbs |
| 0.0120-inch / 0.3048mm | D | 9lbs |
| 0.0128-inch / 0.3251mm | E | 12lbs |
| 0.0137-inch / 0.3480mm | F | 14lbs |
| 0.015-inch / 0.381mm | FF | 22lbs |
| 0.0165-inch / 0.4191mm | FFF | 32lbs |
| 0.015-inch / 0.4mm | #1.5 | 5lbs |
| 0.023-inch / 0.6mm | #4 | 24lbs |
| 0.031-inch / 0.8mm | #8 | 33lbs |
| 0.039-inch / 1mm | Cord | 50+lbs |
Stretch
| Elastic Floss | |
| Size | Tensile Strength |
| 0.0197-inch / 0.5mm | 3lbs |
| Powercord® | |
| Size | Tensile Strength |
| 0.0157-inch / 0.4mm | 3.5lbs |
| 0.0197-inch / 0.5mm | 4lbs |
| 0.0275-inch / 0.7mm | 7lbs |
| 0.0314-inch / 0.8mm | 8.5lbs |
| 0.039-inch / 1mm | 14lbs |
| 0.059-inch / 1.5mm | 22lbs |
| 0.0787-inch / 2mm | 21.5lbs |
Other Materials
| Deerskin Leather | |
| Size | Tensile Strength |
| 2.5-3mm | 10-15lbs |
| Imitation Silk | |
| Size | Tensile Strength |
| 0.039-inch / 1mm | 50+ |
| Hemp | |
| Size | Tensile Strength |
| 0.0197-inch / 0.5mm | 10lbs |
| 0.039-inch / 1mm | 20lbs |
| 0.059-inch / 1.5mm | 45lbs |
| Cotton Cord | |
| Size | Tensile Strength |
| 0.0197-inch / 0.5mm | 35lbs |
| 0.039-inch / 1mm | 20-35lbs |
| 0.0787-inch / 2mm | 50lbs |
| 0.118-inch / 3mm | 50+lbs |
| 0.157-inch / 4mm | 50+lbs |
| Satinique® | ||
| Size | Size Name | Tensile Strength |
| 0.0393-inch / 1mm | Mini | 50+lbs |
| 0.59-inch / 1.5mm | Small | 50+lbs |
| 0.787-inch / 2mm | Regular | 50+lbs |
| 0.1574-inch / 4mm | Large | 50+lbs |
| Bamboo | |
| Size | Tensile Strength |
| 0.5mm | 10 lbs |
| 1mm | 20 lbs |
| 1.5mm | 36 lbs |
| 1.8mm | 48 lbs |
| Ellada Leather™ | |
| Size | Tensile Strength |
| 1.5mm | N/A |
| 2.5mm | N/A |
| 5mm | N/A |
| 10x5mm | N/A |
| Imitation Sinew | |
| Size | Tensile Strength |
| 2mm | 50 lbs |
| 3mm | 70 lbs |
| Mesh Tubular Ribbon | |
| Size | Tensile Strength |
| 12mm | N/A |
| Waxed Linen | |
| Size | Tensile Strength |
| 0.5 - 0.8mm | 40 lbs |
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