As a society, we have been conditioned to believe that purchasing new items is the standard; the norm. My household has long preferred to shop and purchase used items, instead. This is partially for reasons of thrift, but mainly because there are already SO MANY THINGS in the world. For example, there are currently enough dishes at my local community thrift shop to supply my whole neighborhood. SO MANY good, useful, and even beautiful, items at such low prices.
A big part of my spiritual practice involves caring for Mother Earth. Rescuing and repurposing already existing items into my prayer beads fits perfectly with that practice.
As many of my components as possible are taken from irreparably broken jewelry pieces and rosaries. Those pieces are not usable as they are, but the beads, pendants, and medals are completely fine. By deconstructing the broken pieces and incorporating them into my rosaries, much is saved from the landfill.
Other components come from flea markets, estate sales, destash sales, thrift shops- beads and other craft supplies purchased new by someone else, but never used. These supplies come home with me to finally get their turn to be transformed into something lovely.
Some components are new. I use new beading wire because I can not trust the integrity of previously used wire. I do try to source that wire through estate sales and destash sales to avoid buying new. Buying new not only reduces the chances the existing supplies would be used, but also costs labor, energy and fuel to be delivered to me. When I do have to buy new, I buy in bulk and as locally as possible.