Most people known these beads as Lac Beads or Kashmiri Beads.
Lac is the scarlet resinous secretion of a number of species of insects only found in certain areas in SE Asia.
These tiny insects colonize suitable host trees and secrete the resinous pigment. The coated branches of the host trees are cut and harvested as sticklac.
The sticklac is processed and repeatedly washed to remove impurities. The finished material is pellet shape and known as seedlac. It also the active ingredient in Shellac and other varnish.
This raw material is than further shaped and crafted into the lac bead selection