What Are Erasers Made Out Of?

You’re never going to get your sketch right first time, and there will always be a need for an eraser to help tidy your work. Can we recommend our eraser bulk packs from Color Swell? These latex free erasers are ideal for your office closet, school art supplies, and as party favors – and being latex free they won’t leave anyone itchy or uncomfortable using them. 

So what are erasers actually made from? Natural latex from rubber trees was originally recommended by English scientist Joseph Priestley as a means of removing pencil marks as early as 1777. These erasers used a substance that was known as caoutchouc (found in East Asia), but Priestley renamed it ‘rubber’ thanks to its erasing properties by rubbing it on paper. Erasers are still known as ‘rubbers’ in the UK!

Natural latex can cause irritation to the skin so Color Swell uses artificial latex in our erasers. This is composed of a gas called butadiene and a liquid called styrene. Sulfur and vegetable oil are added to the mix and natural colors to create the soft-yet-durable substance you see in our erasers.

Once the ingredients are put together, the substance is injection molded in special machines into the perfect oblong shapes that you see when our package arrives from Color Swell.  Each eraser is stamped with the Color Swell logo.

When Artificial Is Less Toxic

Though there is a buzz in some areas of society for things that are ‘natural’, natural latex can cause allergic reactions in some cases. This is the first reason that our erasers are safer than natural latex.

Color Swell erasers conform to the safety standards set by the ASTM. This means that though they are far safer for children and adults alike than natural latex preparations.

Have a look at the our eraser bulk packs from Color Swell today!