Rubber Rapture offers custom made latex clothing at off the peg prices. Seamed latex clothing tends to be more expensive than moulded latex clothing. This is mainly due to the increased amount of time taken to make seamed latex clothing and the higher skill levels required by the person involved in the manufacture of latex clothing. Seamed latex clothing is made in a very similar way to conventional clothing manufacture. A pattern is used to cut out shaped pieces from a roll of sheet latex. These pieces are joined along seams. However, seamed latex clothing items are usually glued, as opposed to sewn. It is possible to sew latex, but this create a number of problems. Sewn latex clothing can not be skin tight, as the seams would split easily. Only thicker latex can be used with sewn seams, increasing both the weight and cost of the latex clothing item. Most of the seams require some form of fabric tape for reinforcement, further reducing the stretch quality of the latex rubber. Consequently, almost all seamed latex clothing uses glued seams.
The use of glued seams does have an impact on the design of the latex clothing item. Although latex rubber has incredible stretch potential, it has no compression. Standard clothing textiles are made using a weave; this allows a limited level of compression. This fabric compression makes it easier to form tight curved seams and gathers. Tight curve seams are employed in various places such as crotch seams and bust seams. Constructing rubber clothing for women with large breasts is one of the main challenges facing latex clothing designers. Gathers are also employed to provide space for large breasts, but latex clothing also presents difficulties here. Traditional gathers are formed by gathering the fabric and sewing in place. The process of gluing latex is too slow and insufficiently precise for this technique to be employed. Consequently, gathers work in reverse; the receiving piece is stretched and the gather glued on to that. When the receiving piece is released, it returns to normal size and the gather is formed. However, maintaining the necessary tension can be extremely difficult.
The ease of construction of seamed latex clothing and the strength of the latex seams depends on several different factors: the thickness of the sheet latex; the cleaning solvent; and the adhesive. The thickness of the latex rubber used is probably the most important factor affecting the cohesion of latex clothing seams. The most common thickness used in seamed latex clothing is between 0.33 and 0.4 mm. This requires both latex surfaces to be cleaned and glued. Thinner latex of 0.2 mm is used for special applications such as latex stockings. Both surfaces require cleaning, but only one requires glue. Using thinner latex is very difficult as the surfaces have an almost magnetic attraction and stick readily. Thicker latex is used for heavier duty clothing and reinforcement of stress points. The most common thickness for this application is 0.55 mm. Latex thicker than 1 mm is used in chokers, bracelets, sewn clothing and even bondage rubber. Latex of 0.45 mm thickness and above is quite reluctant to be glued. The surfaces need to be roughened before cleaning. This often involves scouring the surface with a sharp blade.
The cleaning solvent depends on the adhesive used. Water based glues use water for cleaning, others may require alcohol based solvents or more specialised cleaning agents. However, water based rubber adhesives are as affective as more sophisticated glues when dealing with latex thicknesses of 0.45 mm or less.
Sheet latex rubber has two different surface finishes. These are referred to as the right side and the wrong side, or RS and WS. The RS has a smooth, glossy surface and is used on the outside of the latex clothing. The WS has a matt finish and offers higher levels of friction. The gloss finish of the RS is easily damaged, especially during the manufacture of latex clothing. In order for two pieces of sheet latex to be glued together, it is necessary to slightly damage the gloss surface, as this surface resists the bonding action of the glue. The method used depends on the glue that is being used and the thickness of the sheet latex. For example, 0.25 mm thick sheet latex requires virtually no preparation, while 0.5 mm sheet latex can require the used of a sharp blade to scour the glossy surface of the latex.
Cleaning of the seam allowance (the region that will receive glue and be bonded to another piece of latex) is also essential and can often achieve the required level of surface damage without the use of other tools. Sheet latex is often finely covered with powder to prevent the latex from sticking to itself. The thinner the sheet latex, the greater the need to prevent such adhesion from occurring. This sheet latex will stick to itself very readily, and is far more likely to tear when attempts are made to separate the adhered surfaces. However, this fine powder layer must be removed before glue can be applied to the sheet latex. The method of cleaning depends on the glue that is to be used.
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