What are Mardi Gras Beads made from?

Josh, please delete this question. We don't want the girls down here finding out they are cheap plastic. We have them convinced they are gold and diamonds and they will do most anything to get them.

They are made in CHINA, from very cheap plastic! Just one rider on a float will spend MORE on beads to throw in one parade, than the Chinese laborer making those beads makes in an entire YEAR!

But years ago, some Mardi Gras beads used to be made from glass, and are very rare now, and somewhat of collector's items by native New Orleanians.

Plastics

Plastic.

Originally, they were made from glass beads, usually made in Czechoslovakia. Now they mostly are made of plastic and come from China. I have several pairs of the antique glass beads; they are beautiful.

There are a vareity of materials the beads are made from--some from cheap plastic, but also metallic beads, pearl beads. Take a look at www.beadsbythedozen.com

They are merely plastic little round beads, painted with metallic paint.

Magic plastic which causes girl's shirts to fly off.

plastic. just like regular beads. (except for those cool indian ones)

Plastic. You can buy a whole bunch of them for a few bucks.