What is waxed polyester cord and where can you buy it?

I receive many questions across my YouTube videos and social media accounts regarding my current favourite material: waxed polyester cord.

This post covers the following topics:

• What is waxed polyester cord?
• Where can you buy waxed polyester cord?
• What are the pros and cons of waxed polyester cord?
• Summary

What is waxed polyester cord?

Waxed polyester cord is a multi-strand cord used in macrame projects. It’s durable, fade resistant, and of course, waterproof. By whisking the ends of strands over a flame, you can achieve sealed knots and ends to make your project resilient to the elements over time. This also helps to create an elegant, finished look to your jewelry or craft project.

The cord comes in a variety of thicknesses (my favourite is the 1 mm). When you are purchasing waxed polyester cord, it’s important to know that there are different varieties of waxed polyester string. If you want to purchase the same cord as shown in the pictures, beware of listings that include only “thread” or “twine.” Those are often not the same level of quality and may not seal the same way.

Linhasita is the major manufacturer of waxed polyester cord. Based in Brazil, this company produces a wide array of string products. However, they do not ship directly to consumers wanting small quantities of cord. Instead, you need to buy through vendors who have purchased the cord in massive wholesale quantities. The following section provides some great vendors who sell wonderful assortments of colours!

Where can you buy waxed polyester cord?

Amazon

Multi-colour sets:

• 10 x 30 yard skeins: https://amzn.to/36PAxRO
• 10 x 180 yard spools: https://amzn.to/3gDPJWV

Single Colour Skeins (30 yards per Skein):

• Black: https://amzn.to/2JWdTOp
• Turquoise: https://amzn.to/2HvgoW5
• Coral: https://amzn.to/2M5cw2H
• Grey: https://amzn.to/2YIw6TA
• Mint: https://amzn.to/2JUcHek
• Purple: https://amzn.to/2YIUTqB
• Fuchsia: https://amzn.to/2EqvquG
• Blue: https://amzn.to/2M3nAx0
• Teal: https://amzn.to/2EsgtIf
• Lilac: https://amzn.to/2VXwp03
• Pink: https://amzn.to/2JW713v
• Charcoal: https://amzn.to/2ElySXl

Etsy

Support small businesses around the world!

Vendors shipping from the USA:

• CraftCordTerra: https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/654334822/linhasita-1mm-waxed-polyester-cord-waxed
• CraftandBeadsUSA: https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/540172381/30ft-1mm-waxed-polyester-linhasita-cord
• StringSupply: https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/466647390/choose-any-1-mm-linhasita-waxed

Vendors shipping from Canada:

• BearCreekSupplies: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/BearCreekSupplies?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=643830444&section_id=25459993

Vendors shipping from outside North America:

• Kindez: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/kindez?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=107313326&section_id=15956716
• JaviviShop: https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/234778623/170-meters-coil-brand-waxed-thread
• ExoticBrazilian: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/ExoticBrazilian

What are the pros and cons of waxed polyester cord?

The Good

• Waterproof
• Durable
• Fade-resistant
• Fast-drying

The Bad

• Makes your hands feel filmy from the wax coating
• To get the nice sealed ends, you need to use fire (this may not be a bad thing if you’re some sort of pyromaniac! Just be careful!)

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Summary

Overall, I adore using waxed polyester cord to create jewelry. I love the look of the sealed ends, that it takes no time to dry compared to embroidery floss and other jewelry-making materials, and the quality of this material is fantastic.

Check out my YouTube channel for tutorials showing how to make the bracelets and anklets shown above!

Have you tried using waxed polyester cord before? Are there any vendors I’ve missed? Let me know if the comments below!