Japanese Seed beads are widely regarded as the best quality seed beads, well known Japanese manufacturers are Matsuno, Miyuki and Toho. Toho have larger holes making them ideal for multi-strand projects. Czech seed beads are also known for being good quality with a fair consistency, whilst Chinese Seed Beads are excellent value for money and useful for many jewellery projects.
There is a number system used universally for Seed Bead sizes, the higher the number the smaller the size. Sizes below are a guide, and may vary slightly by different make/manufacturer, we have a basic guide to the most popular sizes below.