C-Lon Bead Cord Colors versus the Pantone & Coloro 2024 Color of the Year

 

The Color of the Year? Peach Fuzz by Pantone or Apricot Crush by Coloro... Why is it important when choosing C-Lon Bead Cord Colors?

 

 

 

 

A lot of new fashion items will come out in the Color of the Year. In short, there will be many clothes available in this color range in the stores. And why does this matter for C-Lon Bead Cord colors? If someone buys a shirt or sweater in this color, they may want to accessorize with a new bracelet, pair of earrings, or necklace in a matching color. So yes, jewelry made with the Color of the Year can fulfill someone's desires. 

 

With this in mind, I started to choose the C-Lon Color of the Year about six years ago. Sometimes, it is just one color; other times, several. This year, I matched the Pantone Color of the Year 2024 Peach Fuzz with the C-Lon Bead Cord colors: Ginger, Sea Shell, Peach Glow, Tangerine, and Light Copper.

Oops, last year, I completely forgot to create the post in January, and when I realized it in June, I took a pass...

 

 

In retrospect, here are the C-Lon Bead Cord colors I now choose for Viva Magenta, the 2023 Pantone Color of the Year: Wine, with the lighter Cerise and the darker Eggplant.

Back to the 2024 Color of the Year... A few years ago, WGSN, an international company specializing in trend forecasting and analysis, launched its own color system, Coloro, in partnership with the China Textile Information Center. Unsurprisingly, the Coloro and the Pantone Color of the Year belong to the same apricot bisque color family.

 

 

  

 

 

 

For the Coloro 2024 Color of the Year, Apricot Crush, I kept most of the same colors, added Copper Rose, and substituted Orange, a brighter, darker shade of orange, for the more earth-tone Light Copper. Light Copper was a better match to Pantone Color of the Year, whereas I found that these two new shades enhance the complexity of Apricot Crush. 

 

 

 

In addition, WGNS and Coloro have announced 4 additional colors besides Apricot Crush for their key color trends for Winter and Spring 2024-2025. From left to right:

Intense Rust –> Go with Black Currant C-Lon Bead Cord

Midnight Plum –> Go with Purple C-Lon Bead Cord

Sustained Grey –> Go with Grey and Nickel C-Lon Bead Cord 

Apricot Crush –> Color of the Year - See info above

Cool Matcha –> Go with Peridot C-Lon Bead Cord

 

Pantone comes out twice a year with a Spring/Summer and a Fall/Winter color trend report, but they hold everything closer to the vest, allowing only paying customers to see their future trends. Right now, only the Spring trends are available. See the next post for this report and how it intersect with C-Lon Bead Cord colors

 

 

References:

Next Post –> C-Lon Colors vs Pantone NYFW 2024 Color Trends

C-Lon Bead Cord –> In the Standard Tex 210 0.5 mm diameter

C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord –> In the heavier 0.9 mm diameter

Pantone Color of the Year –> Pantone Official Website

WGSN and Coloro –> WGSN+Coloro Website

C-Lon Bead Cord vs S-Lon Bead Cord - What's the Difference and How Do the Colors Compare

Switching from S-Lon to C-Lon can be tricky as S-Lon renamed many colors... But let's be clear C-Lon originated the colors, S-Lon mimicked. The S-Lon colors are not new and different colors even if the names are new or changed. Watch for switcheroos such Aqua-Ice Blue, with Ice Blue by S-Lon closer to Steel (see 3rd image) and occasional dye lot shifts  such Milk Chocolate-Chestnut, with SLBC-CH darker than CLC-CST.

 

Marion Jewels in Fiber has been stocking and selling C-Lon Bead Cord since January 2006. Why do we also now stock some S-Lon as well although the colors are the same? About a year ago one of our customers sent us a chart of the possible color equivalents across the two competing brands of US made bonded nylon cord. We are now following up to see how the two brands, C-Lon and S-Lon intersect. 

Why did we pursue this now...

1. Customers have been contacting us looking for color equivalents looking for a C-Lon color corresponding to an S-Lon color they bought in another store or for colors no longer in production. 

2. Due to global supplies disruption, some C-Lon colors have been out of stock for a longer period of time. Finding an equivalent across the brands becomes necessary for higher volume customers with immediate production needs who can not wait for a color to be back in stock. 

For a bit of history on these two brands

Visit one of our earlier post on the subject here: https://jewelsinfiber.blogspot.com/2010/02/c-lon-versus-s-lon.html. Now as of summer 2022, after spending time comparing the 2 brands, S-Lon produces less colors than previously while C-Lon continues their production with the same amount of colors as in our last survey. 

Here the dye lots between the brands are amazingly similar,
however watch for name changes.

Summer 2022 - C-Lon

• 116 Colors of C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord, heavy weight at about 0.9 mm in diameter - 39 yd spool
• 116 Colors of C-Lon Bead Cord, Tex 210 standard weight at about 0.5 mm in diameter - 92 yd spool
• 60 Colors of C-Lon Fine Weight Tex 135 Bead Cord, at about 0.4 mm in diameter - 50 and 136 yd spools
• 48 Colors of C-Lon Micro Bead Cord, Tex 70 heavy weight at about 0.115 mm in diameter - 100 and 320 yd spools

C-Lon checks the thread quality, for looks dye lot divergences, rejecting colors that are too far off, and generally does a great job at quality control.

Summer 2022 - S-Lon

• 30 Colors of S-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord, heavy weight at about 0.9 mm in diameter - 35 yd spool
• 96 Colors of S-Lon Bead Cord, Tex 210 standard weight at about 0.5 mm in diameter - 77 yd spool
• 11 Colors of S-Lon Fine Weight Tex 135 Bead Cord, at about 0.4 mm in diameter - 118 yd spool
• 17 Colors of S-Lon Micro Bead Cord, Tex 70 heavy weight at about 0.115 mm in diameter - 262 yd spool

S-Lon does not check the thread and dye quality, nor look for dye lot divergences, so sometimes colors are quite off the original color. Also they are in the process of discontinuing colors and as the numbers of colors shrinks, finding C-Lon equivalents becomes more important if you want to design with a fuller color palette.  

Watch for the switcheroos and dye lot shift such as SLBC-LBR is the equivalent CLC-L Latte but shifted 1/4 step towards CLC-BLS Blush, or SLBC-IB dareker than CLC-STL

Difference between the brands

 • Both cord brands are made in the same factory, but the actual output is not always the same as to spool sizes and quality control.  
• Color names are different and can lead to difficulty when switching from one brand to another. 
• Some C-Lon colors do not have an S-Lon equivalent. One S-Lon color does not have an C-Lon equivalent and it may be due to a bad dye lot batch from the factory or it is a distinct color. 

Access to the PDFs
These are spreadsheets sorted by color codes. The colors in bold fonts have been compared with actual spools side by side. The one's in regular text are best guesses. I just received a shipment with more S-Lon Bead Cord to compare and got a few surprises. The color charts and spreadsheets have been updated, today, August 15, 2022.  

1. PDF - Compare C-Lon Colors to S-Lon Colors. Sorted by the C-Lon Color Codes

2. PDF - Compare S-Lon Colors to C-Lon Colors. Sorted by the S-Lon Color Codes

The 2 PDFs have the same information, however they are sorted differently. If you are looking to transition from an S-Lon color to a C-Lon colors and you know the color name, use the #2 PDF. If you do not know the color name, send a snippet in an envelope with your name and email address to Marion Jewels in Fiber, PO Box 6776, Chico CA 95928. We will identify it for you and reply by email.

Here the same info minus the notes on color charts. The colors compared side by side are in regular font, the best guesses in lighter grey. When the S-Lon color is left blank, there is no equivalent currently available or known by us.

 

Click on image for a larger image or go here for a printable PDF. That's page 1.

 

Click on image for a larger image or go here for a printable PDF and that's page 2.  

 To order C-Lon Bead Cord, go here:

> 116 Colors of C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord, heavy weight at about 0.9 mm in diameter
> 116 Colors of C-Lon Bead Cord, Tex 210 standard weight at about 0.5 mm in diameter
> 60 Colors of C-Lon Fine Weight Tex 135 Bead Cord, at about 0.4 mm in diameter
> 48 Colors of C-Lon Micro Bead Cord, Tex 70 heavy weight at about 0.115 mm in diameter  

Thank you for reading this post. Contact Marion or leave a comment if you have more info or questions on comparing colors across the brands. We hope this post will make it easier for you to get the colors you are looking for!

 

 

2020 Pantone Spring/Summer Fashion Colors Compared with C-Lon Bead Cord Colors

Spring/Summer 2020 NY Fashion Week Color Palette

“Combining our desire for stability, creativity, and more spontaneous design approaches, the color palette for Spring/Summer 2020 infuses heritage and tradition with a colorful youthful update that creates strong multi-colored combinations as well as energizing and optimistic pairings,” said Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute.

Flame Scarlet –> C-Lon - Shanghai Red
Saffron –>  C-Lon - Marigold
Classic Blue –> C-Lon - Navy or Indigo - This is the Pantone 2020 Color of the Year. See post HERE. 
Biscay Green –> C-Lon - Ice Blue 

Chive –> C-Lon - Green Olive
Faded Denim –>  C-Lon - Light Blue
Orange Peel –> C-Lon - Popsicle Orange
Mosaic Blue –> C-Lon - Caribbean Blue 

Sunlight –> Wheat
Coral Pink –>  C-Lon - Pink Lemonade or Chinese Coral
Cinnamon Stick –> C-Lon - Sienna
Grape Compote –> C-Lon - Purple 

Spring/Summer 2020 Classics 

Versatile and naturally sophisticated, these neutral hues serve as singular color statements or as a foundation for playful color contrasts with the colors seen above. 

Lark –> C-Lon - Dark Tan or Chestnut
Navy Blazer –>  C-Lon - Navy
Brilliant White –> C-Lon - White
Ash –> C-Lon - Cocoa

> C-Lon Bead Cord

Cleaning and Restoring C-Lon Bead Cord Jewelry

This is one of the bracelet I kept for my personal collection. It is a Multi Strand Bracelet with a square knot slide closure made with C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord and 4mm Titanium Coated Rainbow Hematite Beads. I wear it a lot, it's colorful and fun to wear. A few weeks ago while vacuuming my room, I heard a bunch of clinks... that sounded like beads being vacuumed up...

Sure enough, when I emptied the vacuum in a garbage bag,

the bracelet was there... but is was filthy. 

Cleaning Steps 

Wash the piece with soap and warm water,

and rinse it under running water. 

Let the piece dry on a clean towel.

Now it's ready to wear. 

If after you wash it, you still notice that the cord is a bit greyed out, or clouded over, or you see some whitening of the cord especially noticeable on darker cord, then cleaning is not enough, add the restoration step. 

Restoration for Bonded Nylon Cord

For all C-Lon Bead Cord (all 4 sizes), Tuff Bead Cord, D&E Bonded Nylon, or any of the older brands of bonded nylon #18 such as Conso or Mastex. 

Take some isopropyl alcohol, soak it in a lint free cloth such as an eyeglasses cleaning cloth, rub the cord, and let it dry. Make sure to lay the piece in its proper position as this also blocks the piece. 

This final step with the alcohol restore the bond transparency and the restore cord memory. The bond is softened by the alcohol and dries again fully transparent once the alcohol evaporates. The cord will naturally return to the position it had when the alcohol dried.  

Bond - What is it? The bond is a polymer clear coat added to the cord after the nylon fibers have been dyed and twisted into a 3-ply cord. The coated cord is baked in ovens. Quality control is important along this process. A properly applied bond adds a clear coat that holds the fiber together and make the cord abrasion resistant.  

I usually do not vacuum my jewelry, this was a first time event, and the perfect incentive to share and illustrate the cleaning process.  These are the steps I take when cleaning my personal jewelry, or when someone send me a piece for repair that needs it too. 

Interested in making this bracelet? > Multi Strand Bracelets

Pantone Color of the Year 2020 compared to C-Lon Bead Cord and More

CLASSIC BLUE - The 2020 Pantone Color of the Year

Calm and confident, this enduring blue hue highlights our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.

PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue is a poised and self-assured blue hue, elegant in its simplicity.  Genderless in outlook and seasonless in endurance, this foundational anchor shade enables color mixes throughout the spectrum, yet at the same time, makes a strong statement on its own.

As to matches...

C-Lon Bead Cord: Try IND Indigo or the darker N Navy
> C-Lon Bead Cord (Standard - 0.5mm Ø)
> C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord (Heavyweight - 0.9mm Ø)
> C-Lon Fine Weight Bead Cord Tex 135 (0.4mm Ø)


Chinese Knotting Cord: Try 516-Lapis, 517-Washed Navy, 518-Midnight, or 519 Deep Navy. > Chinese Knotting Cord

Silks for Tassels: Try the Kanagawa 1000 Denier Silk Color KNK-153 and KNK-150
> Kanagawa and Fujix Tire Silks

Multi Strand Bracelets Variations - Rules are Made to be Broken

I have been enjoying making these bracelets. There are so many possibilities... as to beads and cord colors... And the pattern can be changed, rules are made to be broken. Here are some variations showing what's possible and how to deal with unanticipated occurrences.

When I first encountered etched beads, I was not sure if I would like them... I have since fallen in love with them. However I encountered a challenge: the bead holes of the etched beads are larger than most other Czech Fire Polished Beads, and the beads were sliding around the C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord... But hey I still wanted to work them into the design... The solution was to frame the larger holes etched beads with other beads with smaller holes.

This bracelet is made with 4mm Czech Fire Polished beads, Etched Gold Ore and Indigo Gold Ore. The etched gold ore beads were a bit loose on the C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord, so to keep them from sliding around I boxed them in with the Indigo Gold Ore beads. Some of the cords have 3 beads, 1 Etched Gold Ore in the middle with one Indigo Gold Ore on each side, keeping the beads in place. Other cords have 5 beads, 3 Etched Gold Ore in the middle with one Indigo Gold Ore on each side.

The C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord colors are AGO Antique Gold, IND Indigo, and GR Grey.

This next bracelet is a variation of the bracelet shown above with NK Nickel instead for GR Grey and added beads, Etched Argento, also with larger holes, surrounded and blocked by Crystal Argento. The Etched Argento and Crystal Argento beads are loaded onto the Nickel cord. The Etched Gold Ore and Indigo Gold Ore ones are loaded onto the Antique Gold and Indigo C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cords.

Other options I like: 6 cords with 3 beads, 3 cords with 3 sets of 3 beads, so 9 beads altogether. 

For more info on these bracelets, go to the previous post. 

Find the beads listed here –> 4mm Czech Fire Polished Beads

Multi Strand Bracelets with Floating Beads and C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord

To make these bracelets, get the tutorial, C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord, 4mm beads, and a few tools and supplies. 

–> More Info, Kits, Tutorial, Tools

Necklace Cord for the Knotted Beaded Charms

To make the necklace cord for the knotted bead charm, you will need the following:

–> 1mm Chinese Knotting Cord

–> 1.5 mm Sterling Silver or Gold Filled Clasp

–>  Poly Zap Super Glue

–> Thread Burner

–> Chain Nose Pliers

For longer cords and smaller charms, I like to use a thinner Chinese Knotting Cord, so look at the New Fine and Fine size, and even the Extra Fine size as possible options. Or choose a thicker Chinese Knotting Cord such as the HDQ weight cords for a heavier charm. 

Or forgo the clasp and use a square knot slide closure. That's the same closure used for the Square Knot Bracelet Trio. 

–> Square Knot Bracelet Trio Kits and Tutorials

Go to the previous post for the tutorial on how to make the Knotted Bead Charm. 

Here are some bracelet - beaded charm combo, I like...

Gold Halo Beads, with Hematite Bead Centers

Bracelet Knotted with C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord

Charm knotted with C-Lon Fine Weight Bead Cord Tex 135

Necklace cord made with 1mm Black Chinese Knotting Cord

All Hematite, with Pearlescent White Hematite Beads
Bracelet Knotted with C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord
Charm knotted with the standard size of C-Lon Bead Cord
Necklace cord made with New Fine 201 Pearl Grey Chinese Knotting Cord

Bracelets made with Gunmetal Halo Beads, and Pearlescent Pink Coral Hematite Beads, knotted with Chinese Coral, Pink Lemonade and Charcoal C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord.

Charm knotted with the standard size of C-Lon Bead Cord, with Hematite Ring Beads and Pearlescent Pink Coral Hematite Beads.
Necklace cord made with 1mm Black Chinese Knotting Cord

Pantone Color of the Year 2019 compared to C-Lon Bead Cord and More

Living Coral is definitively bright, lively, vibrant yet mellow at the same time. And yes it matches C-Lon Chinese Coral. 

To lighten it up, add a bit of Pink Lemonade to the mix. Darken it and make it unforgettable with Poinsettia. Add a bit of Sea Shell or Peach Glow for the bright edges and you capture the coral and clown fish perfectly.


Pantone Color of the Year 2019: Living Coral

The background color is the exact Photoshop color swatch provided by Pantone. The color inside the square insert is their alternative color for printing. On the right are the cord and thread closest to Living Coral. 

C-Lon Bead Cord: Poinsettia, Chinese Coral, Pink Lemonade

 

Chinese Coral is the C-Lon Bead Cord 2019 Color of the Year. It is available in the standard C-Lon Bead Cord with a 0.5 mm diameter. And it is available in the 0.9 mm C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord. Poinsettia on the left is a deeper rendition. Pink Lemonade on the right is a lighter variation. Sea Shell or Peach Glow can be used as highlights. 

C-Lon Bead Cord is a 3 ply twisted bonded nylon used for micro macrame, bead stringing, kumihimo, crochet and upholstery. 

Chinese Knotting Cord: 323-Chinese Coral, or 324-Guava, 322 Light Coral, 322.5 Pink Coral, 324.5 Light Guava

323-Chinese Coral

Chinese Knotting Cord is a braided nylon cord with a center core. It is used for square knot bracelets such as shambhala bracelet, plus much more. Size E and New E is a great size to make tassels. 

323 Chinese Coral is available in the 0.4 mm New Size E,  0.6 mm Size H, 0.8 mm New Fine, and in 1.5 mm HDQ Size. 

322 Light Coral is available in the  0.6 mm Size H, and 0.8 mm New Fine. 

324-Guava, 322.5 Pink Coral are available in 0.4 mm Size E. 

324.5 Light Guava is available in 1.2-1.5 mm New Medium. 



Kanagawa-Fujix Tire Silk - KNK-91

Try these silk for tassels and for so much more... KNK-91 is the color shown above in the large photo. It is the closest match to Living Coral the Pantone color of the year. It has a beautiful sheen. This color can be found at the bottom right of this web page. KNK-93 and KNK-94 are good highlights and KNK-10 on the next page is a good darker deeper color. 


Griffin Jewelry Silk - Coral

Griffin Jewelry Silk is a silk with a mat finish available in 2 sizes 6/F and 8/FFF. Coral is a good match for Living Coral. 

I hope this will help you choosing new colors for 2019! - Marion

> Pantone Living Coral Color of the Year Animation

Compare C-Lon Bead Cord Colors - The Blue Green Range

I often get emails with someone is asking me to describe the difference between two colors. And yes, colors can be described but a picture is worth a thousand words...

Here is the blue green range compared with bluer colors on the left, greener ones on the right:

CY Cyan is the bluest.

AQ Aqua is a bit lighter and a bit less blue.

IB Ice Blue is lighter and greener.

TL Teal is the darkest tone in this range.

TQ Turquoise is the lightest color in this group.

SG Sage is a bit darker, greener, and more muted.

CEL Celadon is a touch lighter, greener, and even more muted.

For more pictures and other color, visit these posts:

> Compare C-Lon, Chinese Knotting Cord, and Kanagawa and Fujix Tire Silk 

> C-Lon New 2015 Colors

> C-Lon Bead Cord Colors - This is a series of posts on C-Lon Bead Cord Colors. It includes this post plus the two listed here above. 

The large photos on these posts will help you choose C-Lon colors for your next project!

String Art Earring Display

A 12x12 inch canvas, copper nails, C-Lon Micro Bead Cord, beading wire & crimp... to create a wall display for 9 pairs of earrings. 

Here are a few tips if you want to make your own. 

Tip #1. Plan the basic design. Do a quick sketch.

Tip #2. Pre-drill the holes for the nails. Mark the spots with a pencil first. Hammer all the nails at the same depth or change the depth on purpose. 

Tip #3. When creating the string art, use a thread burner to melt the cord beginning and end. It keep the design nice and neat. 

Tip #4. Work colors in layers. 

Tip #5. Use beading wire and crimps for the grid which will be used to hang the earrings.   

References

C-Lon Micro Bead Cord

Thread Burners