One of the most popular materials, Latex based from the natural sap from the rubber tree which has been used for many different applications from gas masks to wellington boots and has been adopted by the kink community for a long time. Rubber sap is vulcanised in order to produce the latex we know and love.
There a few different branches of latex. One of the main distinctions is between thinner latex materials of being up to 0.5mm thick, but much heavy latex for a more industrial relaxed look with 1mm or higher.
Latex typically requires the usage of various dressing aids or lubrication in order to allow it to glide onto the skin, and is a reasonably fragile material requiring an amount of care and attention beyond other materials. However the payoff can be a form fitting and attractive look.
Latex allergies can be reasonably common. We highly recommend trying a small piece of latex rather than investing heavily immediately in more expensive items in case you have an allergy.
Please also remember when not at latex-exclusive events there can be others around you with latex allergies which can easily get symptoms. Asking before close contact is encouraged.
Chlorinated Latex
The next distinction being between chlorinated and unchlorinated latex. Chlorinating is the treatment of latex with chlorine, which can change the material in a few different ways.
Some of the advantages include the reduced need for dressing/lubrication to wear the items, reduced stickyness to itself and a longer shelf-life.
Latex allergy suffers in some cases can also handle chlorinated latex as the material has been chemically altered.
However, it is not without it’s downsides. This includes a change in the appearance, being generally duller in appearance compared with unchlorinated latex. Repairs can also be next to impossible, so while the material may be a little stronger when it does break the whole item may be unusable.
Other downsides include the process not being suitable for every latex item and can only have limited results depending upon experience of those producing the item, such as being patchy or providing a poor quality end result.
And finally, there is a specific smell with latex which is heavily reduced with chlorinated latex which depending on the pet can be a positive or negative.
Care and Maintenance
Latex requires more care over other materials. One key item is to ensure it does not stick to you, or itself and this is achieved either with talc (talc you typically find in the baby aisle of your supermarket), or lubricating agents such as Vividress.
Do not use oil-based lubricants around latex as this can cause the latex to “melt” completely ruining the appearance.
Once worn, it is highly advised to wash latex in a bath or sink and allow it to air dry. Washing with a very mild soap, or specialist cleaner such as Viviclean is advised, rinsing and then allowing to dry naturally. Once dry, store in a cool dry place.
Shining Latex
One of the main draws of latex is the shiny appearance it can provide. This is achieved by shining the latex once you are wearing the latex. Usually this is with various latex-friendly lubricant products such as Vivishine or other various lubricants.
This shine can fade depending on the environment and can need frequently topping up which can be in itself a pleasure to do.
Note that non-kink items which are made from the same materials, depending upon their processing during manufacturing (i.e if they have additional layers not advertised) may also shine up with the same process allowing for brands not strictly in the kink world to be combined into outfits. For example wellington boots and S10 gas masks can be shined to add to a drone look, with everything on the drone being shined to a perfection, ready for service.
References
- https://www.reddit.com/r/Latexadvice/comments/98jl1r/chlorinated_vs_unchlorinated_latex/
https://www.simon-o.com/en/chlorinated-latex-clothing
https://www.invinciblerubber.com/rubber-care-guide
