Cosplay Materials

Today I would like to talk to you about some materials that are relatively unknown until you decide you want to become a craftsman.

Cosplayers are craftsmen, and therefore become very acquainted with employees from stores like Home Depot and Michael's, Joann's and Hobby Lobby.

(DISCLAIMER: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BUY THE MATERIALS TO MAKE YOUR OWN COSTUME. THERE ARE MANY PLACES TO BUY THEM ONLINE, IF YOU SO CHOOSE.)

Let's begin with fabric.

Fabric is the basis of the outfit.

It is a good idea to compare swatches before buying fabric when buying fabric online, and local fabric stores along with Joann's and Walmart are also good places to get fabric for your costume.

They also sell patterns for sewing, and once you get experienced enough, you can make your own.


There are a variety of materials you can create things with for cosplay.

For gems, you can either buy some from a store or, if you want a very specific color or look, mold them yourself!

Resin is a fantastic (yet pricey) way to create realistic looking gems.

You mix Part A -Resin and Part B-hardener, and then you stir for 2 minutes.

You can use food coloring, ink, nail polish, or acrylic paint to mix the color you want, before pouring it into a mold.

There's plenty of tutorials online.

HyperionEdge has shown the end result of their gem casting.



Cosplayer extraordinaire, J Stryker, showcases his use of many techniques including resin gem casting.




Next is the wonderful world of worbla. <3

Worbla is a thermoplastic. In layman's terms, it's plastic that you can cut and shape how you like once it's been properly heated up.


Here is cosplayer Elffi's accessories for Sinbad, from the show Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic.

He has crafted his accessories using worbla which was then primed for painting, and intricately painted.





Worbla is popular because it is sturdy and durable, but the trick to all armor/accessories lies in the paint job!

EVA foam is another popular material used to make cosplays. Here, PixelNinja is seen wearing Samus Aran from the Metroid video game series.



These are expensive materials, although they have become very popular in the cosplay community for their versatility and gorgeous, professional looking results.

Craft foam and store bought gems are, however, not bad alternatives for people on a budget.

The beauty of cosplay is that you can make your dream outfit real using many different materials, there is no right or wrong way, there is only the outcome.