Two routes to your own range
Not every buyer wants a finished bracelet. A jewelry brand may already have its own cord, clasp and spacer design. A yoga studio may want to run a make-your-own-mala evening. A fragrance brand may want a scent that nobody else sells. The loose beads and custom formulas family covers these cases: sorted beads supplied by weight for you to finish, and formulas developed to your brief. Both are coordinated by Ouvare with partner workshops in the Fujian and Guangdong incense clusters, using the same hand-rolled craft described in how incense beads are made.
The two routes differ in risk and in speed. Loose beads from an existing formula are the fast, low-risk option because the scent is already proven. A custom formula takes longer because every change in the recipe needs drying, aging and a scent comparison before it can be called stable.
Who buys loose beads and custom formulas
- Jewelry and accessory brands that want to string beads on their own cord, with their own silver or brass findings. See the jewelry brands page.
- Yoga and meditation studios running workshops or selling DIY kits. See studio programs.
- Fragrance and lifestyle brands that want an exclusive scent rather than a catalog item. See lifestyle brand programs.
- Temple and retreat shops that want a traditional formula in plain packaging.
- Online sellers who sell kits, refills or sampler sets and want lightweight, repeatable stock.
Sizes and typical kilogram ranges
Loose beads are rolled, dried and then sorted by diameter so that a pouch of 8 mm beads really is 8 mm. The table shows the sizes in regular production and the usual order range. Bead counts per kilogram are approximate because they depend on density and formula; the figures below come from the typical single-bead weight of about 0.3-0.5 g at 8 mm and scale with the volume of the bead.
| Diameter | Typical use | Typical starting quantity | Packing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 mm | 108 strands, fine bracelets | About 1-5 kg | Foil pouch with desiccant |
| 8 mm | Standard bracelets and DIY kits | About 1-5 kg | Foil pouch with desiccant |
| 10 mm | Statement bracelets | About 1-5 kg | Foil pouch or sealed jar |
| 12 mm | Bold bracelets, necklaces | About 1-5 kg | Foil pouch or sealed jar |
| 15-20 mm | Pendants, car and bag hangings | By agreement | Sealed jar |
These are typical reference ranges, not fixed minimums; the quantity per size is confirmed in writing for each program.
How a custom program runs
- Brief. You describe the scent direction, bead size, finish, packaging and target market, plus any restrictions such as no honey or a specific sandalwood origin.
- Formula sheet. The desk and a partner atelier turn the brief into a sheet of ingredients and percentages by weight. Read how in blended incense beads.
- Sample rounds. One to three rounds, each needing drying and aging time. Formula samples commonly take 15-25 days.
- Retained sample. The approved sample is sealed and kept as the scent and appearance reference for the batch.
- Batch and inspection. Production, then checks on diameter, weight, holes, surface and scent against the retained sample.
The details of this route are on custom blended incense.
Choosing between the routes
If you already know the scent you want and only need volume, take loose beads from a proven formula; you can be selling within weeks of the first sample. If the scent itself is the product, take the custom route and accept the longer timeline. Many programs do both: they launch with loose sandalwood-led beads to test demand, then commission a custom blend once a channel is proven, reusing the same bead sizes and packaging so that nothing has to be redesigned.
What to prepare before asking
A short brief saves a sample round. State the bead size and count you plan to sell, the scent words you would use on a label, the channel (retail, gifting, studio), and the markets you will ship to. If agarwood is involved, say so early: it brings CITES documents per lot, covered in the agarwood guide. If you want to claim a particular sandalwood origin, ask for the origin statement per lot, as explained in the sandalwood guide.
Ordering notes
Loose beads from an existing formula typically start from about 1-5 kg per size. A custom blend typically starts from about 500 pieces and includes sample rounds, with batch lead times of about 40-60 days because hand rolling and shade-drying take 7-10 days even before aging. Branded packaging is usually from about 300-1,000 pieces. All of these are typical reference ranges, confirmed in writing for each program. See MOQ and lead time, then send your brief through the quote form.