If you just want to know about the latex rubber we sell on eBay scroll down to the bottom.

The word latex comes from the Latin for milk –lac.
When crude forms of rubber were brought back from South America in the 18th century it was noticed that it would remove pencil marks from paper when rubbed, paper was expensive then, hence the name rubber. A small piece of rubber sold for this purpose was very expensive then.

Most natural rubber originates from the Hevea tree which exudes a milky liquid when damaged which sets on contact with air generally thought to protect the tree from fungal and insect damage and grazing, technically this is not sap which runs much deeper within the tree; the lactiferous producing cells lie just beneath the bark.
Many plants produce a milky “sap” such as dandelions but the Hevea tree is farmed because it can be “milked” by cutting into the bark and collecting the liquid without destroying the tree. Chewing gum used to be made from chicle a gum collected from the Manilkara Chicle tree, today most is made from synthetic rubber.

The British introduced the rubber tree to their colonies in the East –Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia . The Dutch also created plantations in their colonies in Indonesia.
It was discovered that ammonia solution prevented the coagulation of raw collected latex so it could be transported to a central processing site.
It was also found that turpentine and naphtha would dissolve the raw latex to make a rubber solution.

Its main use then was for waterproofing garments and footwear buy these degraded quickly, and became sticky and smelly and needed replaced quite often.

Hard rubber differs from latex rubber due to the way it is processed from collection.
When the latex is extracted form the tree it is either kept in liquid form (latex concentrate) or allowed to dry out (dry rubber).

Both are stabilised by a process called vulcanisation using heat (to speed up the reaction and to drive off the water content) and sulphur (or sulphur donors) plus the addition of other stabilisers. This process cross links the polymer chains resulting in a product that recovers after deforming or stretching. Harder more chemically resistant rubbers can be produced by controlling the heat and adjusting the levels of the vulcanising agents. The discovery of this process is attributed to Charles Goodyear. Vulcanised dry rubber’s main use was for vehicle tyres, Goodyear Tyres used the name as an acknowledgement of his discovery.

Dry/hard rubber is used for tyres, tubing, hoses, footwear, automotive components, engineering parts, adhesives, and some household appliances

Latex rubber is processed from the liquid form and undergoes a lighter vulcanisation process to make a soft very stretchy product, it is how ever this leaves it more vulnerable to chemicals and degradation from heat and light. This product is used to make dipped or moulded items such as gloves, condoms and balloons, “foamed to make latex foam or extruded to make elastic thread.

Some people are allergic to latex to varying degrees, either to the natural proteins in the latex, the chemicals used in the processing or to the talc or corn starch used to dust the finished product which carries fine particles of latex into the air. In severe cases contact can result in an anaphylactic reactions (rare), less severe cases causes dermatitis, eczema, rhinitis other forms of mild discomfort.

The latex rubber we sell here on eBay is specifically designed for use in clothing.
It does have other uses such as exercise bands, gaskets and vacuum beds. It has a smooth side which can be carefully polished to a high shine and a matte, rougher side.

I cannot recommend its use for the repair of dry/wet suits, hovercraft skirts, any application where it will come into contact with mineral oils or solvents, prolonged exposure to heat and light, or the for the repair of styrene butadiene or neoprene (both synthetic rubbers).

Care Of Latex Clothing

Latex clothing has become quite expensive due to the high cost of latex and labour so it is a good idea to care for your purchases carefully.

This guide is equally true for moulded rubber items

Damage to latex clothing usually occurs when it is being put on ( or taken off). Allow the garment to warm up if it has been kept in a cool place. Do not be impatient. Do not tug at localised areas of rubber or it will rip. Rubber is very stretchy but eventually it will tear without warning. We recommend a light dusting of baby or un-perfumed talc, some people like to use corn flour. Seek assistance with zips if you are having difficulty.

Latex is bio-degradable but it will last a long time with care. We recommend storing the clean garment hung up in a cool dark wardrobe with perhaps a black trash bag over it. Rubber will fade in strong light. After wearing wipe down with a soft dampened cloth , do not scrub. If it has got particularly disgusting wash in lukewarm water with a very small amount of washing up liquid by hand. Do not scrub or wring. Rinse well, pat dry with a lint free towel and allow to dry naturally do not use heat. Water streaks can usually be removed with a damp cloth afterwards. Dust well with talc inside and a little outside to stop it sticking. If you want a glossy finish this can be achieved with either silicone spray or liquid, or a purpose made polish for latex clothing. We do not recommend the use of household or automotive polishes. Do not rub hard - you are not polishing a chrome car bumper - this will spoil the surface, use a very soft lint free cloth (a cut up well washed old t-shirt is ideal) . You will not achieve that perfect wet look gloss that you see in magazines this is done with lighting and enhancing the pictures digitally.

Do not spray perfume or cologne on the rubber, the alcohol contained in these products will not do the rubber any good. Light colours stain very easily when in contact with some metals, particularly those found in coins. In fact all colours will stain when in contact with nickel it just shows more on the lighter colours. It is due to the metal reacting with a chemical used in the curing process and creating a light brown stain. Dampness will greatly increase this reaction. Store any a garment which has metal trimmings carefully- use tissue paper to cover the trims. Many of our customers enjoy their garments for years, they just need a little more care than textile clothing.

Whitening of latex is caused by two things

1) Exposure to light, usually sunlight, I have seen patterns left on latex garments by the sun reflecting off perfume bottles. Keep your garments covered and in a wardrobe. Unfortunately this damage is irrepairable.

2) Latex rubber does actually absorb some moisture and this causes a white bloom on the garment. This is is quite common with garments made from freshly manufactured latex sheeting which have been transported in cold weather then delivered to warm surroundings. This will wipe off with care using a very soft cloth.

Warning

I have recently seen ruined garments that have been cleaned/polished with a liquid cleaner (milky white/blueish, not a spray) sold as a rubber polish. The liquid gathers in folds and under press studs and actually melts the latex over time, otherwise it seems OK, just ensure that you carefully remove all the excess polish.

I have noticed the recommendation of car bumper polishes and tyre (tire) cleaners. Any product that contains petroleum distillate or abrasives will degrade the latex although the initial results may look pleasing.

We only advise the use of silicon spray applied sparingly. It is usually an aerosol available from industrial sewing machine suppliers, engineering/ industrial suppliers and auto shops (Halfords in the UK).

We are always happy to supply small repair pieces.

Contact me through our eBay store Armory Auctions