Home - Store - Latex Sheeting - Bedding - Craft Kits - Patterns - Gallery - FAQ - Contact/Links
Home - Store - Latex Sheeting - Bedding - Craft Kits - Patterns - Gallery - FAQ - Contact/Links
Have a question we have not answered here? Ask us by emailing info@sheetlatex.com and we will update our FAQ for you!
LATEX SHEETING THICKNESS GUIDESheeting/General |
Bedding |
Kits and Crafting |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What is the smallest order?
We sell our sheeting by the yard. The least you can order is 1 yard of length. Our craft kit is the only exception to this rule. It includes two half yards of latex so that you can get some latex to play with for your first project that is not all the same.
If I order more than one yard, does it come as one piece?
Yes! We always ship our sheeting as one continuous piece of latex, so if you order 4 yards of black 45, you will get 5 continuous yards of that sheeting. If for any reason we cannot accomplish this with our current stock we will contact you by email before shipping your order and ask if it is OK to split your order into smaller segments (This is uncommon but could happen). If this does not work for you we can refund your purchase.
How do I care for/store latex sheeting?
Latex is a natural material made from the sap of rubber trees and processed into sheeting with added stabilizers and pigments to give it the properties that we know as latex sheeting. It is susceptible to several common things that you should avoid.
- Oil based products will weaken and eventually erode your latex. Never use oil based shiners or lubricants. Body oils will not harm latex very much, but your latex should be washed after each use.
- Sunlight. UV light will damage latex and cause it's surface to eventually become lightened, and brittle. If your latex is going to be exposed to sunlight it should be treated with a UV protecting shiner such as Armor All rubber protector. It is important to store your latex out of direct sunlight, and even better store your latex in a cool dark place.
- Oxygen. This is a much slower moving enemy of latex, but it is a bio-degradable material and the oxygen in air will eventually cause degradation of your latex. (This process is much accelerated by UV exposure, hence the warning about sunlight). To best protect your latex you will want to store it in a sealed, food safe plastic bag when not in use. When your latex is being worn or stored out of a bag, it is best to have protected the sheeting with silicone shiner or Armor All.
- Flame. Latex is flammable. On combustion it both melts and burns. While it is not easy to set alight, once burning it burns well. It is best to be careful if smoking while wearing latex clothing.
- Smoke/Smells. Latex is air and waterproof, but it will absorb some smells, particularly cigarette smoke. If you want to preserve your latex's rubbery smell, don't smoke near or while wearing your latex. Seal it in plastic bags for storage if you expect it's storage environment to be exposed to smells (smoking, cooking, pet smells)
- Copper/Composite Metals. Some metals will stain light colored latex. This is a chemical reaction that changes the pigmentation of natural latex and cannot be undone by cleaning. So it is best to avoid metal hangers, pennies (change from the bar at parties has caused a few upsets in the past), and contact with metal zippers/fittings on other clothing, belts, and jewelry.
Storing your latex is simple enough. If you can avoid the hazards listed above your latex will last a long time. If you are storing large quantities of latex (above 1-2 yards) we suggest that you keep it on a roll, wrapped in plastic in a cool dark place. It will last for a very long time in this state.
Latex garments can be hung in a dark closet (on a plastic hanger) or folded in plastic bags in a drawer for best storage. We suggest that you powder or shine your latex before you store it for best protection against oxidization or other damage.
How wide is your latex sheeting?
All of our sheeting arrives from our manufacturer on 27 yard long rolls that are 39.5" wide (100cm). This is about 4 inches wider than most latex sold in North America.
Do you say "Latex" on your packages?
No. Our packaging is nondescript. Our return address is to "Elastica Engineering Inc" which is our parent company, and we make sure to use work/family friendly descriptions of our products. For example you would see "Bedding", "Fabric" or "Craft Kit" on your parcel from us.
Inside our packaging we do include a full receipt for you with product descriptions. We do have to declare the full value of products on our packaging for taxation reasons. Sorry, we cannot label packages as "gift" if it is a purchase.
Can I get things rush shipped?
Yes. But you will need to contact us BEFORE you order at info@sheetlatex.com to arrange for rush shipping. We are happy to do our best to accommodate your rush, we know that time crunches happen. Do keep in mind that rush shipping increases shipping costs exponentially and we will need you to pay additional shipping charges before we ship the order out.
We will never ship any product until it is paid for in full and any paypal E-cheques or Personal Cheques have cleared to our accounts. Credit card and Paypal instant payments are great for fast turn around.
Can you get me a custom color/thickness?
Yes... but not quickly. Please contact us at info@sheetlatex.com to discuss your needs. There will be a minimum order and 10% non-refundable down payment for us to stock a custom color/thickness for you.
We make orders to our manufacturing team overseas every 4 months, and those orders take 2-3 months to arrive by sea. (Carbon friendly and expense friendly shipping!) so this is not a quick process. Please plan WELL ahead.
Are there bulk or wholesale discounts?
Yes. Our web store will automatically apply bulk discounts to your order at quantities above 5 yards. The more you buy of any one color/thickness, the less each yard will cost.
We also offer wholesale discounts and perks to customers who show consistent large ordering, or are representatives of established businesses. If you would like to discuss becoming a wholesale client of ours, please contact us at info@sheetlatex.com.
Can I get my order shipped on a roll?
Yes. If you order 10 or more yards of latex in one order we will automatically ship it on a roll. Otherwise your order will ship folded in sealed air tight plastic bags and packaged in a cardboard box. If you require shipping on-the-roll and are ordering less than 10 yards of latex please contact us at info@sheetlatex.com before ordering.
Why would I want latex bedsheets?
That's personal. Some people like them for the sensual look of shiny latex. Some for the fell of rubber on their skin. Some like that you can lubricate the sheets and make a very fun slip and slide zone in the bedroom for sensual massage and sex.
Another benefit is that any messiness that may result from all the fun that you're having in bed is safely kept away from your expensive mattress.
Can I just lay down some latex sheeting?
Yes... laying down some of our regular sheeting is good for sill catching (especially if you lay it under a normal fitted sheet) but it's not quite as useful. Having a fitted sheet is the most fun part of the whole bed set. Because it is fitted to the mattress. it stays where you put it and allows for a great slippery play area. A loose sheet (flat sheet) if used to lie on top of tends to end up bunching up around you and being generally a pain.
Our flat sheet also is much wider than a single sheet of latex, and includes some trim along the top to make it look stylish.
How do I know what size to get?
Measure your mattress. top and check our sizing chart:
Flat Sheet
(Oversized)Fitted Sheet
(Mattress size)Fitted
DepthPillow
CasesTwin 60" x 80" 39" x 75" 8" 27" x 18" Double/Full 74" x 80" 54" x 75" 8" 27" x 18" Queen 80" x 80" 60" x 80" 10" 27" x 18" King 96" x 80" 76" x 80" 10" 27" x 18" If you require a custom fit, please order the size that is closest to your measurements, and note the dimensions of your mattress on checkout, or contact us by email to ask. We can usually accommodate slightly odd sized mattresses for no additional charge!
I want to slide around. What's the best lube for latex sheets?
For slipping and sliding around on your latex sheets, we don't recommend our latex shiner product... it is too thick for personal lubricant.
Eros silicone lubricant is our very favorite, but any silicone lube will do well. Water based lubes will work too, but may end up sticky if you play for too long and it starts to dry out.
We reccomend www.cheaplubes.com for bulk silicone lube! We purchase Wet Platinum by the Gallon! (Literally)
See our FAQ on Shining and Silicone Vs. Seams
Why is latex bedding expensive?
Latex bedding is expensive because it uses up quite a lot of sheeting. Averaging about $18/yard, sheeting costs add up pretty quickly when your sheets take between 4-14 yards of latex to be constructed to fit your bed.
It also takes time for these sheets and pillow cases to be hand built. Each sheet or pillow case takes between 2-3 hours to construct. Since we pay our employees a good living wage, that means our products are built with care, and worth every penny we charge for them. We do our best to keep prices down, but not at the expense of our staff.
Because they are treated and paid fairly, they do GREAT work on your products.
Can I make bed sheets myself?
Yes! (There are paterns here) The seams do tend to be long (which can be tricky for beginners) but the general skills used in making a fitted sheet, flat sheet or pillow case are relatively simple.
We suggest that you get a latex crafting kit to get started if you have not worked with latex before, then check out the patterns here to see how we build our sheets.
You can make sheets from any of our latex sheeting options. We recommend using a thickness of 0.33 or 0.45mm for bedding.
Note: 0.45mm is easier to work with and more durable.
How is latex sewn together?
It is NOT sewn!
You glue latex sheeting together. This allows it to retain it's strength (the little holes from sewing would cause many small places where tears could begin).
It is important that the latex is very clean before applying glue. We use a latex glue thinner to clean the seam before gluing and to remove any dust, powder, or other impurities.
Where can I find more information?
There are great resources about making latex on the following sites:
www.fetlife.com forums "Latex Lovers" and "Latex Crafters"
Where can I find patterns?
There are great paterns on www.makinglatexclothing.com and we are always adding new paterns to our Paterns page here at www.sheetlatex.com.
You can always use normal fabric paterns, but keep in mind that the amount of stretch that latex allows can significantly change the nature of fabric paterns.
How do I shine my latex project when I am done?
Opinions vary on shining latex. Some enjoy the ease of Armor All protective sprays, which have a long lasting but slightly less shiny effect. Some enjoy the SUPER shiny results of silicone personal lubricant like Eros Pure (which is very expensive). We have a silicone based shining liquid available on our store that is cheaper than personal lubricants, and thicker so it stays put.
A little trial and error will lead you to your own personal favorite. It is also important to know for what sort of use you are shining/lubeing your latex. For photography you may not want a SUPER shiny surface as you may get overexposed "hot spots"... in that case a slightly more dull shiner like Armor All is ideal.
Shiner and lubricant are also very helpful to help the latex slide onto the body when dressing. Talc powder can also be used for this, but will leave residue on the body that can show up through transparent latex.
We reccomend www.cheaplubes.com for bulk silicone lube! We purchase Wet Platinum by the Gallon! (Literally)
Silicone oil/shiners and latex sheeting - silicone is latex safe. It will condition/protect your latex, meaning your latex will absorb silicone over time but it can almost entirely be removed from your latex with heptane (rubber cement thinner). All repairs must have clean latex, but by no means does latex become irreparable if it's been covered in a lot of silicone lube.
Does Silicone oil/shiner weaken seams?
If a seam is DRENCHED in shiner and under a great deal of stress it can be weakened. We have found that underarm seams, where three seams come together under a lot of stress, can *sometimes* come apart over time if too much silicone is applied. This is an easy fix though.
Straight seams, especially those under little stress (like bedsheets) are rarely a problem. In high quality latex (i.e. not cheap knock-offs) We have never heard of this being a problem. Personal experience with sheeting - we drench them in silicone lubricant and... uhh... create a lot of friction. I've never had a problem with seams coming apart. And if that problem ever arises, it's a really easy fix.