If you are interested in beginning to repair or alter your latex clothing yourself, the supplies you need can be quite expensive. It is recommended to purchase a basic pre made kit first for you to begin and learn the techniques. Basic kits can be purchase between £40 and £70 however not everything in included in the kits. Here is a list of everything you need so you can start making latex clothing or repair / alterations to your latex garments. Please note, to buy everything to begin can cost between £150 and £200 for a professional to set up. This is why people send me their latex to be repaired, patched, alterations because its cheaper than buying a kit or everything here.
Glue: Bostik 3851 for the bulk of your gluing your latex. You will need a plastic glue spreader to apply which are very cheap. Applying to both seams and allowing to dry before putting together and using a seam roller for a strong seam. You can buy in bulk of 5 Litres which works out much cheaper in the long run at around £50 or you can purchase 250ml for around £22 (as you can see its a no brainer to get the 5 Litre) You can buy 250ml Bostik 3851 glue for £22 from EBay here:
Copydex water based glue: I would also recommend some liquid latex water based glue such as Copydex for preparing the fabric tape on zippers etc. You can use Copydex to glue seams on latex sheeting but this is not the preferred method because the finish is less clean.
Solvent/Thinner/cleaner 1: The Bostik 3851 glue can be thinned and cleaned using Bostik cleaner No.4 6009 which is available from suppliers of chemicals or places such as eBay 250ml is around £25 which can be expensive but you can buy in bulk 5 Litres which works out around £50. You can buy 250ml
Solvent Thinner/cleaner 2: I personally use a solvent a brand called Evo-Stick Adhesive cleaner 250ml which is used to prep the latex before glue and used to thin the Bostick 3851 glue. Some DIY stores sell this in the stores or you can purchase direct from suppliers. For 250ml cans of Evo-Stik adhesive cleaner is around £7.50 or you can buy in bulk 5 Litres for around £45 (However this is difficult to decanter into smaller bottles) This solvent quickly evaporates and you MUST wear a chemical gas mask to prevent damage to your lungs :
Chemical Pump dispenser: When using chemicals such as the Bostik 6009 cleaner, Acetone, Eco-Stik adhesive cleaner its best to use a Pump dispenser so the chemical doesn't evaporate quickly and release into the air becoming weak.
Kitchen roll or Lint free nails wipes : Lint-free nail wipes are great for cleaning and prepping the latex before gluing a seam. You can cut up kitchen roll into small squares for use which is cheaper or purchase the lint free nail wipes for around £5 for 300 pieces.
Rotary Cutter 45mm: You will need a Rotary cuter 45mm to create straight and curved long cuts in your latex sheeting, one sheet at a time. It is not recommended to use dressmaking scissors to cut latex pieces. Fiskars is a brand that is trusted and very sharp for around £15, however you can purchase other Rotary cuter. Spare blades are needed because once your latex is no longer cutting like butter, you need to replace:
Cutting Mat: A cutting mat is important to protect your working space and cut your latex on (do not glue your latex on this mat) I use a A1 cutting mat which allows me to cut long patterns easily, however most beginners are good with a A2 cutting mat. It makes no difference what colour you buy. An A1 cutting mat is around £20 and an A2 cutting mat around £15
Glass Cutting Board: The best mat to use for glueing your latex on is a glass cutting board used in kitchens. You can apply the glue on the mat and easily wipe away the excess glue afterwards. The glass cutting mat can be used along with your seam roller to create strong glue bonded seams. A glass cutting mat ranges in price for a 16 in x 12 in for £12
Seam Roller: You can use a plastic seam roller or other material however a metal seam roller is not recommended because it can cut the latex if too much weight is applied. I use an ebonite seam roller but a marble one is also good because you need firm pressure and heavy weight to press the two seams together and create the glue bond:
Sharp Scissors: Whilst you will use a 45mm rotary cutter most of the time, you will also need a small pair of very sharp scissors. These are used for cutting out latex appliqués and finishing small patterns such as circles that a rotary cutter cannot handle. Use a whetstone for regular sharpening or fold layers of tin foil and cut with the scissors to sharpen the blades. I recommend Fiscars classic needlework micro tip scissors 13cm length but you can use embroidery scissors as well.
Quilting Ruler: A quilting ruler is used for cutting latex with a rotary cuter to create a straight line and a large 6 in x 24 inch is best to create latex trim or long seams. You can buy a quilting ruler from Amazon for around £14 :
Acetone: Some use soapy water on a sponge to wipe away the talcum powder on the seam. Talc is used to prevent the latex sheet sticking to itself. You can use Acetone with the kitchen roll or Lint free nail wipes to remove the talc and prep the seam for gluing. Then you can use the Bostik 6009 cleaner or Eco-Stik adhesive cleaner after the acetone to fully clean and prep your latex for glueing. To purchase 1 Litre of Acetone from Amazon for £10:
Gasmask: You will need a good quality Gasmask with 2x ABEK1 Filters Hg P3 RD specifically for chemical fumes, toxic gas, organic vapours, spray painting, epoxy. I recommend the The Dräger X-plore 3300 half face mask for comfort as well as a wide field of vision so it doesn't get in the way. You can buy other brands as long as you get the right filters. Some people don't use gas masks and this is very bad for your lungs as well as health. The chemicals in the glue and solvents can be dangerous to inhale. You need to replace the filter when you begin to smell the chemicals when wearing got mask.
French Curves: You will need a selection of plastic French curves in order to alter patterns or create your own designs.
Gel Pen (White/silver/gold): In order to mark the latex when marking out your pattern, you need a gel pen. I use a silver or gold pen which is easily wiped away when finished cutting. You can write notes or directions on the latex with a gel pen too. These can cost £2- £3 per pack of pens. You can buy a pack of white, gold, silver uni ball gel pens for around £8 from Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/yt6nt5tu