My google-fu fails me

[figment]

Anyone know an online source for blacklight reactive fabric? I am particularly looking for blue (best yet would be a blue that matches the wig in this picture).

Comments

[techdragon.livejournal.com]

From what I can figure out though friends in the costume business... there really isn't such a thing. There are certain colors in spandex that will react to the black light but not all of them are going to for sure. It is best to order samples and try them out.

Some of the puppet community use florencent fabrics: http://www.onewaystreet.com/product/532/98 but they do lose their glow the more they are handled.

http://www.spandexworld.com/ also has some but I think you would have to order samples to try them out.
http://www.spandexworld.com/catalog/viewitem.php?id=278 (glows)

I also found this (Rit Fabric Whitener (dye) will make any white or light colored fabric glow an eerie blue under a black light (flourescent lights work best) on a website here http://www.craftown.com/halloween/craft55.htm.

[birdfigment.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[spacebug.livejournal.com]

We used clear spray-on stuff for some of the spikey outfits because we couldn't find flouro fabric. It worked okay, but it's hardly ideal- it's not super bright and comes off in the wash... I'm not sure what brand it was, but could find out.

[birdfigment.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I guess I will cruise the fabric stores to see what I can find before I go the paint-ish route...

[star5.livejournal.com]

blue is tough. white can end up glowing blue, but that might not be the look you're going for. for uv reactive fabric in general i bring a little uv light to the fabric store to see.. it's most a check and see sort of thing. i do sort of have an eye for it.. especially if there are fluorescent lights in the store.. but it's hard to be certain when ordering online unless they say specifically and lots of places don't! caly's suggestion is an option, but again, not always perfect because it washes out. lots of bleachy soap will turn stuff glowy, but not in a very controlled way. there are uv glowy inks that are invisible but i don't know how much it would take to turn a large amount of fabric glowy or how even it would turn out. they're invisible in normal light so they'd not change the color of whatever fabric you used them on. but they're not super cheap. a search for invisible uv ink might find you something. good luck!

[birdfigment.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I will have to ponder this further.

[whitefox77.livejournal.com]

The colored chemical in chem lights (aka glow sticks) is UV reactive. These chemicals are non toxic but tend to "stain". Buy some blue chem lights, and cut them open and use it as a die.

I may have to try this with the orange ones I have...

[spacebug.livejournal.com]

We were talking about cutting open glow sticks last night. We've done it. It may be "non toxic", but it REEKS TO HIGH HEAVEN. Not recommended!

(...but it did look really cool. We swished them around in a bathtub.)

Substances that glow blue under UV light

[gunthar.livejournal.com]

http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howthingswork/f/blblacklight.htm

To summarize the more likely options:

Club soda (due to quinine)
Laundry Detergent
Tooth Whitener

The name of the chemical in blue glowsticks is 9,10-diphenylanthracene
http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa031703a.htm

Which is available for purchase from this chemical supplier for almost $60 per gram. Ouch.
http://www.sciencelab.com/page/S/PVAR/10411/SLD3544

Or here for $48 per gram.
http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&q=9,10-diphenylanthracene&price1=&price2=50.00&lnk=prsugg