It has been my experience that most or all of the beads said to be "Faturan" are actually just conventional cast phenolic plastic. I don't know how anyone would be in a position to make a comparison, since we only have descriptions.

I am also unsure of what to make of the proposition that the beads might be molded—except it seems unlikely. Do you see a casting or molding seam? Over time, beads that have been subjected to heating can have some swelling of the exterior, that disturbs their smooth uniform surfaces. This could happen when some sort of other material is included in the original canes, to create a sparkly or internally-fractured appearance.

Jamey