In the last half-century, raves around the globe have evolved into events that help many feel a sense of community, welcoming, and belonging. That is all that Kandi is about. 

     What is Kandi? It’s a part of American rave culture or Electronic dance music (EDM) that has been around since the 1960s. It began thriving in the 1990s as a part of music festivals. They are bracelets/products that possess brightly colored pony beads and are popular for the sense of community they bring to those who wear/trade them. 

     It all started with peace, love, unity, respect (PLUR), which was a mantra embraced by some communities of popular culture. Those who are associated with EDM and raves make Kandi to this day in the spirit of making new friends. 

     To Junior Ren Kramer, Kandi is more than just jewelry. Ren argues the importance of making Kandi to them, “it is a safe space and a way to express myself in my style,” explains Kramer. To them, it was as simple as attending a rave festival in 2016, where they “saw a ton of people decked out in Kandi and rave attire,” the student clarifies. 

     At festivals, Kandi is traded among ravers and their close friends, or as simple as someone they had just met. The unique quality of these products is that you cannot simply go to generic stores like Walmart or Target to buy them – they are always handmade and most of them are uniquely produced by ravers.

     There is a range of products that can be made from Kandi beads. By taking a creative approach to the hobby, there are many possibilities that can come out of Kandi. From simple bracelets to more complex designs such as masks, belts, and even vests. Kandi enthusiast Kramer has made intricate designs like a “rainbow tank top,” as well as “bone jean chains.” More difficult designs will “need certain skills,” and as with many things in life, making Kandi takes practice. Kramer’s opinion on the difficulty of the hobby after doing it for 4 years is that “with practice and lots of YouTube, it’ll come easy.”

     By using pony, perler, peyote beads, and some string,you can make Kandi. The classic ones are ponies, which are big, round, and chunky. Perler beads are smaller than ponies, and can even be used to make solid figures, when ironed together. Peyote beads are similar to perler, but are unique in that they are sometimes made out of glass, as well as rounded edges. Perler are usually the most difficult to deal with, according to Kandi makers. 

      Making Kandi can be as simple as making a “single,” which is according to Kramer the “simplest form of Kandi.” By pulling a string through several pony beads and other charms, Kandi comes to life!