February 2005:
We began to distribute C-LON® beading thread in 36 colors in December of 2002. Originally it was offered in size D; we later added AA as a second size.
In March of 2005, Beadsmith/Helby announced a "new product", Super-Lon beading thread. The story, briefly, is that Beadsmith/Helby (apparently using the name M & Y Trading Corp), found and contacted the factory that was then producing C-LON® and persuaded them to sell them identical colors and sizes of thread. That factory was purchased last year by a larger company which now produces the thread.
Those of you familiar with both products will notice that the color names for Super-lon are the same as we have always used for C-LON.
Several customers have wondered if it is legal for one company to copy a product that is already being sold by another company. In the case of a product like thread, which can't be copyrighted or patented, it is completely legal. Whether it's necessary, beneficial to the bead industry, or ethical, I leave to your judgement.
Comments from users:
Hi Barry, In addition to running my business, I'm the president of the Long Island Bead Society. Therefore, I'm in contact with many avid beadworkers. I too was curious when I received information from Helby on Superlon, so I did order a few spools so I could try it. In addition to testing it myself, I gave spools to 3 other people who have used many types of thread in the past and we were all in agreement that C-Lon was by far the best thread on the market. We all concluded that Superlon is most definitely NOT like C-Lon. It has a silkier feel, more like Nymo, is a bit stronger than Nymo but not as strong as C-Lon and it shreds quite easily. I've personally tried Nymo, Silamide, So-No, Superlon, and both sizes of C-Lon. The only thread that I sell, use and recommend is C-Lon.
Caren Schwartz
June 8, 2005:
I've received a number of emails in the last couple of days regarding the above, so I'd like to add further clarification.
First, we've never tested, or even seen, Super-lon (except in pictures). I can't address the issue of its quality. In theory it is the same product as our C-Lon, produced in the same factory.
I don't know whether the currently shipping Super-lon was produced in the original factory (see the second paragraph at the top), the new factory, or some in both factories. I don't know whether it was tested by Beadsmith/Helby before they started to ship it. I don't know what quality control procedures they use, or whether they examine the thread before they sell it.
I trust experienced beaders to be able to judge thread, so it seems clear to me that at least some of the Super-lon out there is not of good quality based on these reports. Perhaps it is only a few bobbins, perhaps more. It's the distributor's job to deal with such issues and I imagine Beadsmith/Helby will look into it.
September, 2006:
For those of you who keep track of product knock-offs, Helby/Beadsmith has now released their version of our C-Lon® Bead Cord. Here's a quote about originality vs. copying from Bill Watterson of Calvin and Hobbes fame:
“I used to make original snowmen, but it was time consuming, hard work. So I said, heck, this is crazy! Now I crank out crude imitations of what's already popular! It takes no time or thought, and most people don't care about the difference, anyway! And what good is originality if you can't crank it out?”