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About Chlorinated Latex

I hear and read a lot about chlorinated latex.  The best description of the chlorination process and how it affects rubber goods including clothes is written on the web page of Cotswold Floor Machines in the UK.  Here’s the scoop from their web page:

Chlorination –

Chlorination is of particular benefit to natural rubber. During storage and use, unprotected natural rubber products are exposed to molecules of oxygen or ozone in the air, both of which can cause a breakdown in the rubber surface structure. This can result in the rubber becoming discolored and brittle. Rubber elastic bands are often found to break under comparatively little stretching after being left for some weeks on a desk top due to this.

In chlorination, chlorine gas is combines with the materials of the product to produce a surface layer more resistant to the harmful effects of oils, acids and agents that cause progressive cracking and eventual breakdown of unprotected rubber. It can be compared to the benefit of electroplating metal to prevent oxidation by chemical and effects of the atmosphere and in the same way that plating enhances a metals surface, chlorination can beneficially improve perception of a rubber products’ quality by reducing its surface friction coefficient. In effect, it takes away the rubbery texture and creates a silky surface finish.

Chlorine is a halogen and halogen gas fluorine, is similarly used to produce the non-stick protective surfaces such as Teflon ™ on pans and other cooking utensils.  In contact with a natural rubber product, chlorine reacts with each surface molecule to form a structure that restricts future access to oxygen or ozone to the rubber and increases its barrier to absorption of oils and greases. Acidic substances combine less easily with a chlorinated surface. For these reasons, good quality household gloves and many other domestic products are usually chlorinated.

Synthetic rubbers have different surface structures but equally benefit from chlorination. In many cases their tensile strength and potential extensibility is somewhat lower than natural rubber and for that reason more easily physically damaged. Chlorination not only reduces the coefficient of surface friction, but also improves surface appearance and handling characteristics. Residual free sulphur bloom, a powdery surface appearance similar to natural yeast on grapes, during long-term storage of rubber products can also be delayed.

If a product is to be used in contact with skin, a valuable further benefit of chlorination is the removal or substantial restriction of potentially dermatitic chemicals from the rubber. All rubber products contain a residual organic accelerator which, if present, above a very low level can cause contact dermatitis in people, sensitization does not occur, and at the same time largely remove or deactivate potentially harmful proteins form natural rubber products. Also, chlorinated products can be defined as “clinically clean” at the end of the process.

Chlorination therefore can be very beneficial to the quality of rubber products but it must be carried out with great care and at the right level for the product involved. Special processing equipment is used to deliver the correct amount of gas for the correct time of exposure. Great care and experience are important factors in successful chlorination.

Chlorination of Rubber

 

 

 

 

 

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Fetisso Masks & Hoods Review

A mask Tells Us More Than a Face

Oscar Wilde

Here is the scoop on masks and hoods from Fetisso. Like all the Fetisso gear, masks are made of molded Brazilian latex and are chlorinated which gives strength and a smooth finish which is really nice when pulling a skin-tight latex mask over your head.

Styles

We use term mask for the full face models with various openings, all of which include nose holes, and hood for the completely open-face mask.

#1140 Open Mask has open eyes, mouth and holes for breathing through the nose

#1120 Has closed eyes, open mouth and breathing holes

#1110 Closed, has nose openings only

#1410 is the Hood, which is like a balaclava, a fully open face affair

 Collar:  All come with a collar version which flows nicely about six inches below the neck on all sides

Sizes:  Small, medium, and large. (one of only two Fetisso items that dont come in XS or XL; the other is pony hooves)

Fit: The fit is typical of Fetisso, a smooth nice fitting, easy-to-put-on piece which you can probably wear in two of the three sizes depending on how tight you want to wear it. I’ve worn all the styles and am particularly fond of the open eyes/mouth model #1120. It shuts out light really well and fits well enough that I can wear easily for an hour or so of sensory deprivation or just plain relaxation. I’ve also slept in it and it doesn’t grab the pillow or sheets like other latex. There is no pinching or excessive tightness associated with typical latex because of the smooth finish and the quality of the mold. Neither is there zippers to catch in your hair.

Alterations: Another great thing about Fetisso chlorinated latex is that its strength is not compromised by cutting. I find the eyes a bit too perfectly oval and it is relatively easy to cut a more human eye, and, especially for the ladies and our models/dancers, we cut a more flattering eye pattern that shows the upper brow.

Price: Suggested retail should be in the $80 range for either model.  Not bad for a hood you can easily wear 200 times with reasonable care.

Cleaning:   Just rinse in warm to hot water with any mild soap.  Dries in minutes, no sticking to itself.