Eco-Friendly Glue Substitutes
Glue is an essential part of everyday life and is used for many different applications from kid’s craft projects through to household decorating, but most glue available on the market is made from petrochemicals and is not very environmentally friendly. Because we use glue so much around the home it is important to find alternatives such as bioadhesives, which are not only much less hazardous substances than some of the strong, toxic types of conventional glue but they are also made from ingredients that are much better for the environment.
Home made Glue
There are a number of different recipes for glues that can be made easily at home, and these can be used to bond together paper, fabrics, ceramics, glass and wood. You may have to try quite a few times before you get a glue that is long lasting and reliable so be prepared to do a little experimenting, and if you want to bond plastic or metal, or you need your glue to stand up to more vigorous use you may need to use one of the commercial bioadhesives that are available instead as these have been more thoroughly tested and will be much more reliable. Most home made glue recipes involve gelatin, which is a product derived from animals so this may not be suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Commercial Bioadhesives
These are widely available online, but you will need to check the product ingredients very carefully as some glues state they are environmentally friendly, but still contain some toxins and petrochemicals. You should be looking out for glue which has a full ingredients list included on the website (or you could email the provider for more details), and it should ideally have all of the following labels:
· VOC free (or at least low VOC)
· Petrol chemical free
· Water based
· Recyclable or recycled packaging.
Some bioadhesives are even safe enough to eat (although these are not food and should not be ingested), and these can be ideal for kid’s craft projects as they are much safer than some of the conventional craft glues that are currently on the market.