create your own neoprene products

[Mattie]

I was wondering can you print directly on to neoprene as you would polyester or does it have to coated.

i found this http://www.homecrafts.co.uk/products-Ec ... _E802A.htm

i thought about making my own mobile covers, laptop covers etc. Would need to buy sewing machine haha

[Paul]

Iam sure you can print on it directly as its a polymer thingy. is made of polymer me thinks...

[Mattie]

thanks paul, might buy one piece just to try.
was thinking it would good as can then make larger laptop cases etc and the fact it can be printed on both sides

[Paul]

good idea! let us know how it goes!

[Andrew]

I doubt it would withstand the heat but trial and error is never a bad thing. Also, all depends on the finish as to whether it would hold the print.

[mgibbs]

Aren't mouse mats made of neoprene?

Mark

[Andrew]

Neoprene is not the material they use for mousemats or phone pouches etc. They just often call it that as that's the most common material that people know which it resembles. I believe the full name is Styrene Butadiene Rubber or SBR. This is then bonded with the polyester top. Still quite a common material in certain industries.

[djhutton]

Its certainly possible to buy 'proper' neoprene off the roll in a wide range of colours and thicknesses. The top surface could be printed on (as it can be 100% polyester) , in fact it can be specified with an assortment of fabrics on one or both sides. I'd be suprised if you could print onto it without a top surface fabric (unless you use the flex/vinyl route common on wetsuits).

I got some a few years ago from a company in Germany, not sure of the details now - duh, but I'll try to dig them out. I ended up with a very thin version to manufacture a waterproof cover for something. I'm sure there were some UK suppliers at th etime as well, but didn't have the thickness (thinness) I needed.

The only thing I found was it that it's a pig to cut with anything except a properly formed die cutter, if the edges were showing like on a mousemat. For joining together to make a wetsuit for example, then not so much of a problem as the edges were hidden.

It would be possible to make individual sized items, so its always worth a go.

DJ

[Scotty@BMS]

Its certainly possible to buy 'proper' neoprene off the roll in a wide range of colours and thicknesses. The top surface could be printed on (as it can be 100% polyester) , in fact it can be specified with an assortment of fabrics on one or both sides. I'd be suprised if you could print onto it without a top surface fabric (unless you use the flex/vinyl route common on wetsuits).

I got some a few years ago from a company in Germany, not sure of the details now - duh, but I'll try to dig them out. I ended up with a very thin version to manufacture a waterproof cover for something. I'm sure there were some UK suppliers at th etime as well, but didn't have the thickness (thinness) I needed.

The only thing I found was it that it's a pig to cut with anything except a properly formed die cutter, if the edges were showing like on a mousemat. For joining together to make a wetsuit for example, then not so much of a problem as the edges were hidden.

It would be possible to make individual sized items, so its always worth a go.

DJ

David, you buy from companies other than us?! For shame!

[djhutton]

David, you buy from companies other than us?! For shame!

That was a few years ago matey, I don't think Martin was doing wetsuit fabric/neoprene in those days (although I never asked)

And it's BMS all the way for me, what lovely chaps and innovative, keenly priced products (alledgedly)

DJ