How to Choose Elastic Cord for Stretch Bracelets

Beaded stretch bracelets are easy and economical to make, and they're great projects for all levels of jewelry makers. When you shop for the stretch elastic cord for your bracelets, however, you'll find you have several options.

Below is important information to keep in mind when deciding which type of stretchy string to buy.

Types of Stretch Cord

There are three popular types of stretch cord:

1. The first (and probably most common) type of stretch cord is rubbery and round, made up of a single strand. Some of the more popular brands of this kind of elastic are PowerCord and Stretch Magic. Stretch Magic, in particular, and many others come in a wide range of sizes, including a large-diameter cord that is perfect to use with bigger beads. One downside to a cord like Stretch Magic is that it can be slightly more difficult to knot than other types of stretchy string, but it is a reliable elastic. Using a surgeon's knot (with an extra half knot) is the most secure way to keep this kind of string tied. Many people add a drop of super glue or E6000 to ensure their knot stays securely tied.
2. The second type of cord is called stretch floss. It's available in a variety of colors but not a lot of sizes. The most common sizes you'll find are 0.5mm and 0.7mm, which are suitable for most smaller beads. Stretch floss is made up of multiple strands of stretchy material woven together, which gives it good stretch "memory" (meaning it's less likely to stretch out permanently). this string is easier to knot than most single-strand cording. However, when stretch floss starts wearing out, the threads fray until the bracelet is hanging by a string, literally.  Stretch floss is less expensive compared to an elastic stretch cord.​
3. The third common type of stretch cord is a polyester cord with an elastic core. The polyester that coats this cord is available in a wide array of colors, including sparkles and metallics. This type of cord is often used for hair accessories or other applications where it will remain visible in the finished design. You can use this cord for stringing larger beads, but because of its bulk, it may be harder to hide its knot. Polyester cording is not meant to be used for long-lasting jewelry.

Selecting the Right Size Elastic Cord

Selecting cord that will hold up to your beads and not break prematurely is important. When it comes to durability, cord size is typically the most important factor. Select your beads before you choose your cord, and then buy the largest cord that will fit through all of them. Choose something that will fit through the beads when doubled over if you plan to use a needle. If your beads are large enough to string without a needle, you can opt for the biggest elastic that will fit through as a single strand.

Checking the elastic's fit is easiest if you buy your supplies at a local bead store. Most stores will allow you to test a package of cord on your beads, or they'll have a sample of cord at the counter that you can experiment with.

When you are ordering online, check to see whether the hole sizes for beads like yours are listed in the elastic cord item descriptions, and select cord that is just slightly smaller. For most seed beads, size 11 or size 8, you can use 0.5mm cord with a collapsible-eye needle. Gemstone beads can be the most difficult to find the right cord size since the hole is often small compared to the size and weight of the bead. Unfortunately, not all gemstone beads are appropriate to use with elastic thread because of that.

If you are new to making elastic stretch bracelets, these tips to make stretch bracelets that last and 7 common reasons why elastic bracelets break may be helpful.