Bead makers in Ghana have adopted modernised methods to transform the traditional beading styles into the fashion industry to attract the youth.
A Ghana News Agency (GNA) survey focusing on the bead making industry revealed that the indigenous “Krobo” beads is now facing serious challenges from the western type of glass and acrylic beads as well as the ceramic and wooden ones.
Scores of bead makers told the GNA in an interview that although the “Krobo” beads, are more durable, they seem to be losing market due to their heavy weight and sometimes dull colours, compared to the western glassy beads.
Ms Rejoice Dogber, Bead-maker of “Deveila GH”, told the GNA that bead making is an art which requires one’s understanding of colour, “one’s ability to combine weird colours, which are usually not common, to create uniqueness in design”.
She said beads were now used to manufacture bags, bracelets and all forms of jewelleries as well as in the designing of footwears, hairs and clothing.
Fashionable beads
Ms Dogber noted that the fashionable beads were also gradually pushing the traditional Krobo waist beads to the background as, “our ladies now prefer using the fashionable beads as necklaces, anklets and bracelets, among others”.
Mrs Lynda Naa Nartey, bead maker and Chief Executive Officer of Naakyoqlaitcollectionz, explained that there were different types of beads, which included recycled glass, crystal, rubber, wooden and clay beads.
Others are stone, metal, flat, paper and straw beads.
She said beads could be used for earrings, bracelets, anklets, waist beads, necklace, hair accessories, bag accessories, key holders and slippers.— GNA
