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Crafting Sustainability

At Beads N Crystals we’re committed to reducing our impact on the environment & creating a circular economy.

Energy and rubbish reductions are our two primary areas of focus to kick off this initiative. These are areas we believe we can make the biggest changes, which will have a real tangible and positive impact.

Turning our boxes into soft packing, reusing clipseal bags & bubble wrap, reducing single use plastics and encouraging suppliers to reduce packing materials when supplying to us have helped shrink our rubbish to landfill by roughly 75%. Going from 2-3 bins a week to less than one is a phenomenal achievement and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Adjustments to our procedures, changes to our air-con system and more efficient lighting have helped reduce electricity consumption by 16%.

We’re also taking back packaging material and unwanted craft products for recycling and re-use as part of our commitment to reduce waste and create a more sustainable future. We’re encouraging you, our truly valued customers, to recycle, reuse and return. Together we can craft a brighter future.

What we’re doing

    • Reusing Single Use Packing Materials
    • Shredding Cardboard Boxes to use as Packing Fill
    • Reusing Plastic Packaging (see below)
    • Using Boxes and Recycled Bags in place of New Bags
    • We’ve Completely Stopped Purchasing Plastic Bags and Bubble Wrap
    • Recycling Anything Recyclable that we can’t Reuse
    • Reducing the amount of Rubbish sent to Landfill
    • Reducing our Electricity Consumption

What you can do to help

    • Reuse Clipseal & Packaging Bags
    • Recycle or Compost Paper & Cardboard Packing Materials
    • Recycle Soft Plastics & Post Satchels in the collection bin if your council has an appropriate soft plastics recycle scheme.
    • Carefully open Australia Post Satchels that feature a second seal and re-use them.
    • Reuse Plastic Seed Bead Tubes. They’re perfect for screws and craft needles.
    • Return Unwanted Plastic Containers & Tubes – We give a store credit on seed bead tubes!
    • Drop off Unwanted Craft Supplies to Benefit Local Schools & Charities

Plastic Tube Credit Scheme

We can take back any unwanted plastic tubes from our seed beads. Once you’ve finished with the tubes, simply return them for an instant 20c store credit for each and every plastic tube (with lid) returned. They will be cleaned and re-used to reduce the number of new plastic tubes we need to import, so it makes a real difference! We can only accept back tubes that were originally purchased from us. You can spend the credit straight away or save it for a future purchase.

Put Unwanted Craft Supplies to Good Use

If you’re looking to de-stash any unwanted usable craft supplies (whatever the craft and whatever the condition), simply drop them in or post them to us. We’ll distribute them to local public schools and charity organisations.

We’ve already provided donated craft goods to Junction Park State School for craft classes. They plan to sell their finished items at their fete with proceeds funding a new garden and playground. Other supplies have been donated to charities that run craft workshops in nursing homes and remote communities. 

If you have anything at all that you’d like to offload, please drop it in to our recycle bin or send it to:

BNC De-Stast 
318 Ipswich Rd
Annerley Qld 4103

A Big Thank You to everyone who has already donated to our program.

We truly appreciate your help ensuring we can make a positive change in the community. It really means the world to us!

From all of us at Beads N Crystals,
THANK YOU!

Beads N Crystals! We’re not that kind of bead shop!

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Christmas Trading Hours

It’s hard to believe it’s that time already, but here we are at the pointy end of a year we’ll never forget! Below are our trading hours over the Christmas/New Year period. We wish you a safe, happy and healthy festive season and all the best for a positive and fresh new year!

FRIDAY 24th – 10am to 2pm
SATURDAY 25th – CLOSED (Christmas Day)
SUNDAY 26th – CLOSED (Boxing Day)
MONDAY 27th – CLOSED (Public Holiday)
TUESDAY 28th – CLOSED (Public Holiday)


2 DAY SALE:
WEDNESDAY 29th – OPEN 10am to 3pm
THURSDAY 30th – OPEN 10am to 3pm

FRIDAY 31st – CLOSED
SATURDAY 1st – CLOSED (New Years Day
SUNDAY 2nd – CLOSED
MONDAY 3rd – CLOSED (Public Holiday)


NEW YEAR WEEK:
TUESDAY 4th – OPEN 10am to 3pm
WEDNESDAY 5th – OPEN 10am to 3pm
THURSDAY 6th – OPEN 10am to 3pm
FRIDAY 7th – OPEN 10am to 3pm
SATURDAY 8th – OPEN 10am to 3pm

FROM MONDAY JANUARY 10th – Normal Trading hours resume:
Week Days – 10am to 5pm
Saturdays- 10am to 3pm
Sundays – Closed

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MORE PARKING!

Almost Done!

The bitumen is down and the guys have been frantically working to finish our HUGE new rear carpark! We won’t know until the line-markers finish work just how many spaces there will be, but we’re thinking 20 at least!

Please note this Friday and Saturday there will be no access to the new carpark and no drive-through access. Please consider entering via the Juliette St rear entry. Limited parking will be available in the old MEX carpark. We will also have 4 spaces available across the front on Ipswich Rd.

We will be able to park in the new carpark and drive through access will be reopened from Monday December 14th.

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End of an Era: SWAROVSKI SAYS GOODBYE

We have been notified by Swarovski that they are exiting the wholesale components market. Swarovski are closing down their Swarovski Professional division which was responsible for the supply of all Swarovski lines we had access to. This means they have discontinued the supply of all products and this is being rolled out globally. The entire Swarovski catalogue of beads, pearls, flat backs, pendants, rivoli’s, bicones, rondelles, drops, chandelier pieces and sew on stones have now been discontinued.

This decision is on the back of extreme impact caused by COVID-19 leading to a large number of job losses at Swarovski’s head office & manufacturing facility in Wattens, Austria, which have been well documented in global news. We had suspected a significant change for some time now, but the speed at which this has occurred has taken us (and many opposing members of the Swarovski family) by complete surprise.

Their plans are “to refocus and re-position Swarovski in the attainable luxury segment”. Unfortunately they believe having large volumes of loose Swarovski components in the marketplace is not in their strategic plans for future of their brand and is impacting their high-end finished goods market.

SWAROVSKI IS NOT CLOSING DOWNThey are restructuring and refocusing their business.
In doing so they will no longer provide loose components for resale as loose components.

According to news articles, Swarovski’s new CEO, Robert Buchbauer, believes less is more and that Swarovski have lost their focus by trying to be everything to everybody.

Effective immediately, we (along with all dealers in loose Swarovski components), have been cut off from ordering any more products.

They will effectively discontinue from the global retail and wholesale markets the entire catalogue of loose components including beads, pendants, flat backs, pointy-backs, rivoli’s, sew-on’s, fancy stones, pearls, chandelier components, rondelles, buttons, crystal mesh, cupchains and findings.

Over the years we have worked hard to curate a wide and concise collection of 2,500 the most popular and in-demand lines from Swarovski including a rolling range of newly released and special edition pieces.

We’re working on plans to replace the core lines with similar products from alternative brands which will begin rolling out from early 2021. Unfortunately no other company can offer the range of products, colours, effects and sizes, or speed of delivery that Swarovski have consistently provided for decades.

We’re giving you this update so you have the opportunity to stock up on any Swarovski products you may need for your business or unfinished projects before we sell out for good. 

Although we are very well stocked and will probably be selling Swarovski crystals for quite some time, there are many popular lines we sell through almost weekly. Some lines are already sold out.

In the last several weeks since we initially heard of the pending announcement, we have ordered a large volume of stock that we regularly sell through, and lots of new exciting products too. We hope this is enough to carry us into early to mid 2021.

If this news is going to impact your business or planned projects, please check our stock and order what you need with priority. Alternatively email us with the products you need most (with the quantities) and we’ll factor this into our lines to source from alternative brands.

We really wish this wasn’t happening and we’re as shocked as you are at the news. Although this will be the end of an era, it will also be the beginning of a new one we’re yet to discover!

I thank you for your continued support and assure you this will not impact our ability to provide you a complete and concise range of quality products.

Shop the remaining Swarovski crystal products while supplies last.

From our family to yours, we wish you all the best and we hope to see you soon. Stay safe!

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Swarovski Rice Pearls

Swarovski Crystal Rice Pearls are new in 2019. Sold per strand of 100 pieces, these 3x4mm rice pearls are made in Austria using Swarovski Crystal and their revolutionary pearlised coating. With ten colours to choose from, these pearls are a must for fine jewellery designs, and an absolute dream for seed-beading & bead weaving designers!

We also offer Austria-direct pricing on factory packs of 5 strands. Contact us for pricing if you’d like to bulk order.

Click the squares below to shop your favourite colour or browse our Swarovski -> Pearls collection now.

3x4mm
Colors:
Crystal Cream Pearl (001 620)
Crystal Dark Grey Pearl (001 617)
Crystal Elderberry PRL (001 2019)
Crystal Gold Pearl (001 296)
Crystal Iridescent Tahitian Look Pearl (001 2004)
Crystal Light Gold Pearl (001 539)
Crystal Mulberry Pink PRL (001 2018)
Crystal Rosaline Pearl (001 294)
Crystal White Pearl (001 650)
Gem Colors:
Crystal Mystic Black Pearl (001 335)
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New Website

Exciting News: Unveiling Our New Website for a Seamless Bead Shopping Experience!

G’day, bead enthusiasts! We’re thrilled to announce the grand reveal of our brand-new website, designed with you in mind. At Beads N Crystals, we understand the importance of a smooth and enjoyable shopping experience, and our revamped and ever-evolving online space is geared towards making your bead-hunting journey more delightful than ever before.

What’s New?

Intuitive Navigation: Say goodbye to the struggle of finding the perfect beads. Our new website boasts an intuitive navigation system, making it a breeze to locate exactly what you’re looking for. Whether you’re a seasoned beader or a newbie, you’ll find our website user-friendly and efficient.

Mobile-Friendly Design: We know you’re on the go, and our mobile-friendly design ensures that you can browse, shop, and explore our bead collection from the palm of your hand. Embrace the flexibility of shopping whenever and wherever inspiration strikes.

Why the Change?

We’re committed to providing the best possible shopping experience for our valued customers. The decision to revamp our website stems from a desire to offer a seamless, enjoyable, and stress-free journey as you embark on your bead-crafting adventures. Your feedback has been invaluable, and we’ve listened closely to your needs to create a platform that aligns with the Beads N Crystals commitment to quality and excellence.

Explore, Shop, Create!

So, what are you waiting for? Dive into our new website, explore the extensive range of beads, crystals, and accessories, and let your creativity flourish. We’re excited to be part of your crafting journey and can’t wait to see the amazing creations you’ll bring to life with Beads N Crystals.

Happy beading!