Waxed Thread Colors For Sew-on Leather Wraps

UPDATED AUGUST 2026

Here are our recommendations and sources for purchasing colored waxed thread for sew-on leather accessories.

Our sew-on leather bicycle accessories use a sturdy waxed "sailmakers" thread for outdoor use and durability. We stock this thread in black, brown, or white, but you can separately purchase a similar thread in a rainbow of colors, such as red or turquoise.

Close-up of a black bicycle with dark brown leather wrapped handlebars, sewn on with red waxed thread

Customer photo using red thread with our dark brown Sew-on Bar Wraps

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About the Waxed Thread Walnut Uses Alternative Thread Choices: Natural Materials and Rainbow of Colors Recommendations and Sources for Colored Waxed Thread

About the Waxed Thread Walnut Uses

Walnut Studiolo has selected a time-tested and tried "sailmakers" thread for installing our sew-on leather bicycle accessories, intended for outdoor use in the elements.

As the name implies, this thread is a high-strength, durable thread specifically designed for sewing sails and marine fabrics, coated in wax to make it more durable in the elements. It is very sturdy stuff indeed!

Standard sailmakers thread is nylon with a paraffin wax coating. However, it does not come in a lot of color choices!

Three neatly-wrapped bundles of waxed thread in three colors on a green grid mat: black, dark brown, white

The Waxed Thread options that Walnut stocks

Alternative Thread Choices: Natural Materials and Rainbow of Colors

Many bike-builders select a color theme for their bicycles, and little details like the thread color in the bar wraps can create a harmonious look.

For example, customer Paul's bike in Chicago (shown pictured below), used red thread to bring out the red highlights on his bike.

Customer photo of a stylish black road bike with dark brown leather and red accents on an urban graffiti wall

Customer photo of a stylish black road bike with dark brown leather and red accents parked in front of a city sea wall

For those different colors, we have sources to recommend where you can purchase the right color thread separately, from small American businesses.

These folks use different materials than our standard sailmakers thread, but any twisted waxed hand-sewing thread should prove durable in the elements, because the wax protects it.

Recommendations and Sources for Colored Waxed Thread

Here are our recommended resources and specifications:

MATERIAL: Any kind of waxed thread, including linen or polycord. Sailmakers like nylon for durability, but for our purposes the wax is the important part. Wax protects the thread fibers from the outdoor elements.
THICKNESS / PLY: We like a 5-ply twisted thread, or roughly 1mm thick (0.045" / 1.14mm) thick. But slightly thinner or thicker will work, too.
RECOMMENDED SOURCING:
- The Maine Thread Company offers over 31 colors of waxed poly cord thread and in different thread weights. They are a terrific, American, Maine-made company.
- White Clover Kiln on Etsy offers waxed linen thread in 37 colors and sells them in very small quantities, which is nice. The seller says the wax is paraffin, not beeswax (Crawford brand).
QUANTITY: Unless you're going to be "whip-tying" the thread, you'll only need 2-4 yards for any of our sew-on products, so the smallest quantity you can purchase will usually do.