Non-Toxic Glue?

Melody Hellard

Hello! I am a puppet builder and I love using Barge to put my puppets together, but I am very concerned about how toxic the material is. I am looking for non toxic alternatives and was curious if anyone knew of any good ones. I got offered a puppet making job on a team of people and when I asked if we were using Barge, they said they weren't paying enough to expose us to that. I started looking into it more and was a little scared of all the harmful effects it can have on people, and I don't want to continue exposing myself to it. If anyone has any good alternatives I would love to know! I don't want to stop making puppets and I don't want the quality to go down so I am pretty desperate. Thank you!

Chris Ellerby

Sadly I've yet to find anything that even remotely compares to Barge for this.  Barge does have a VOC-free formula that is less toxic, but it does not work nearly as well.  You can give it a try and see if it works for your needs.  The container will be blue and black rather than red and yellow.

If there is a product that is widely used for a task that is toxic/caustic/harmful the reason is usually that there are not a lot of alternatives that can do the task as well or without paying a lot more.  And the risks are managed with proper procedures and PPE (personal protective equipment) 

Wear gloves, eye protection, and a regulator that is rated for VOCs whenever using products like Barge, and work in a well-ventilated area.  Also, be mindful if others are in the same space and let them know to take precautions.   If safety measures are followed these kinds of materials are much less of a concern.

Anyone else try any Barge alternatives that they liked?

/Chris