Making a costume is harmless, right? Wrong. There are many dangers to making a costume in your home. Some of these dangers you wouldn’t necessarily think of when you first start off making a cosplay. After collecting all your pieces that you need to make a costume, you now have the job to ensure that you and all the people around you are safe.

The below lists five dangers cosplayers need to know when making costumes at home. It is from the startup business Studio Cosplay, a makerspace in the greater Washington, DC, area specifically designed for the needs of cosplayers. It is a women-run business with well known cosplayer Liz Gmaz as its president. At the end of the article, check out the links to Studio Cosplay’s Facebook page and its Kickstarter campaign.

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1) Improper Ventilation

PROBLEM:

One of the pitfalls of working on cosplay in your home are all the fumes. While some just leave a bad smell, others can truly be dangerous. Some paints contain VOCs (volatile organic compounds) — a well-known toxic substance that can cause short-term, temporary (and even long term) side effects, such as headaches, nausea fatigue, and allergic reactions. Fumes from adhesives, thermoplastics, and resin can have similar or even worse side effects. Most homes are not prepared for the extreme fumes these and other cosplay materials emanate, and even if you wear a mask or respirator (did you bring enough for the entire household?), those toxic fumes can linger for hours.

SOLUTION:

The ideal solution is to work outdoors or in a properly ventilated workshop area, but not all of us have access to such areas and the weather doesn’t always cooperate. So, working in a room where you can shut the door and open a window (or turn on a vent fan, like in a bathroom) would be the next best thing. Be sure to cover any air vents leading to the rest of the house and use a respirator mask! Regardless of what you are doing, if it produces a fume, there is a chance it’s toxic to you. Wearing a mask at all times will save brain cells. Match the mask or respirator filter type to the materials you’ll be using.

2) Fire

PROBLEM:

While the leading cause of house fires is cooking, using tools with heating elements can cause fires as well. High heat tools like heat guns for shaping armor and hair dryers for styling wigs do get hot enough to ignite paper and even carpets. Glue guns and irons tend to be lower heat, but they can still start fires and leave burn marks if left long enough. Anything with a heating element should NEVER be left unattended.

SOLUTION:

Make sure your area is clear of flammable items and use your heating tools on non-flammable surfaces. Get yourself a ceramic tile to lay down any of your tools that get heated. Unplug your heating tools when not in use. Don’t leave heating tools unattended until they cool down; even unplugged, a heat gun can stay hot for up to 10 minutes. Also, watch for pets and young children around your work area — this should be noted with anything that you do in life that requires a dangerous setting. For tips on creating a large heatable workspace for your home visit https://katilistcosplay.wordpress.com/2014/05/27/working-with-worbla-safely/

3) The Organized Mess

PROBLEM:

“I swear it was in one of these boxes….” Sound familiar? Have you ever created a mess finding that one tool? Or, lost a tool in the cosplay chaos? The root problem is the struggle between keeping our cosplay area clean and having all our cosplay implements within arm’s reach. And, this problem is multiplied in a confined spaces where we tend to stack our crates and boxes on top of each other just to make room (which can cause falling and tripping hazard especially with pets and young children). Often the materials and tools we work with gradually find their way all over our work surface and traversing the area becomes a delicate tiptoe dance of avoiding sharp and breakable objects (watch those project pieces!), paint splatters, and adhesive drips. While these hazards aren’t life-threatening, no one wants to track paint and glue all over their home.

SOLUTION:

Find stackable clear plastic containers — if you are not using these already, trust us, you’ll love them! These are available in the storage sections of most big box stores and come in many styles and sizes. If the full retail price is too much, wait for a sale or try finding them second hand. Store alike items together (e.g., notions with notions, stick-ons with adhesives, etc.), label each container, and don’t overstuff them. If you don’t have a permanent cosplay workspace, consider keeping all your project pieces in one container for quicker breakdown and setup for your space. Clear containers make it easy to see what’s inside and will save you time and sanity finding what you need. Like with any task, preparation is key — you’ll find that organizing your cosplay before hand will be well worth it when you are rushing to finish a last minute cosplay (we’ve all been there!).

4) Not Knowing Your Tools

PROBLEM:

In cosplay, you may need to use a wide array of tools but not have the time or motivation to read all the instructions. Improper use of tools can ruin your tools, cause bodily harm, and/or damage your cosplay. For instance, using sewing scissors to cut sheet metal will dull the blades and can cause you to slip and cut yourself or your cosplay.

SOLUTION:

It is essential to read all directions and understand how to use tools correctly and care for them properly. When working with any new tool, even if its just a different version of a tool you know, it is important to understand how that particular tool works. Not all sewing machines function the same; and different heat guns reach max heat at various times. Easier said than done, however, you might be surprised at what you can learn from the instructions guide or a good YouTube tutorial. Maybe you’ll even pick up some tricks or find an easier method to use your tools.

5) Clean Up

PROBLEM:

You’ve finished your costume, now what? Time to clean up!

You may be tempted to procrastinate (or even skip!) the clean-up process, but proper clean up is as important as proper tool usage. No one wants to step on a straight pin, and all those small excess pieces are choking hazards for pets and small children. Remember a clean cosplay area is a safe cosplay area.

SOLUTION:

Ideally putting things away as you go and keeping a container for scraps keeps paws, hands, and feet away from danger. Not everyone has a separate room for costume making but if you do and must leave items out unattended, be vigilant about closing the door. When you clean up and throw away items that can’t be used, a closed trash can is optimal. Keep tools stowed in a place where they’ll be well protected (and won’t get misplaced), and unplug any power tools you used. All toxic substances should be out of reach if you have little ones at home. And watch out for lost pins and needles! Try using sweeping a strong magnet over the floor to pick up loose metal.

STUDIO COSPLAY’S SOLUTION:

Another solution to all your cosplay problems is working in a workshop designed specifically for cosplayers! Studio Cosplay is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in the DC metro area whose mission is to promote community through the art of costuming by providing work space, opportunity, and education. Studio Cosplay is opening a community-operated workshop in 2015 where cosplayers can connect and exchange ideas, share resources and knowledge, collaborate on projects, take instructional classes and hands-on workshops, and have the space and tools to work on costumes. Our goal is to provide safety, education, and a workspace equipped with everything you need to work on Cosplays. This cosmakerspace will be based in the DC metro area and will welcome all cosplayers, costume designers, LARPers, photographers, artists, and anyone interested in learning about costuming.

Our Kickstarter is now live to raise funds to open this space. We launched on Friday, February 13th, during our first Katsucon panel and in just a little over a week we are funded by more than 40% with more than 100 backers!

To learn more about us, check out the links below:

Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/6846446/studio-cosplay-a-makerspace-by-cosplayers-for-cosp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/studiocosplay

Email: ContactUS@StudioCosplay.org