Recycling the mollusk shells after their pearls have been harvested, the interior mother-of-pearl, or nacre, is ground into a fine pearlescent powder and set in perfectly symmetrical shapes.

The beads are then dipped in a non-toxic and biodegradable dye at least 30 times to achieve a uniform, smooth, glossy texture in Kanazawa, Japan, known for its high quality traditional Japanese lacquerware (Kanazawa shikki).