I am a big environmentalist. I mean really big (at least convincingly enough in my head). I am traumatized with the potential consequences of climate change due to human influence and try to read and discuss as much as I can on the issue. I am completely obsessed with Peak Oil and the seemingly endless list of Chicken Little prognostications about the dire future soon ahead due to the finity of oil, the consequences of our addiction to it, our overpopulated world's consumption rate and how intrinsically our world economy's structure depends on it. I am completely amazed by how dependent our lives are on all of the products and activity generated by oil and its byproducts.
I also try to restrict my personal usage of it as much as I can. I feel that even though some one is using more than their fair share to balance out my restrictions, it is something that I need to do.
**although sometimes I feel that the quicker we all do our share to burn it all up as quickly as possible, the sooner the consequences hit us and force us to make big changes to our lifestyles**
And there's my big hypocrisy I'm dealing with. Here I am outside of my rubber skin touting all that is bad about oil, yet behind closed doors at home, I slick up and slip on my skintight hydrocarbon by-product skin and remove myself from the world. How fucked up is that? In addition to the removal from my environment, I wonder if I'm projecting some pent-up anguish of our oil addiction? I've been thinking of this more and more as I find out more about the oil situation. It certainly solidifies my ideas about how we all do our fair share to contribute to the problem, despite our best intentions and physical attempts in our lives to make a difference.This all means that fetish rubber is destined to become much, much more expensive than it already is. Will rubber fetishism end up being an indulgence only of the extremely rich? In many ways, it already is.
Natural rubber. I might feel better buying natural rubber. Is fetish rubbergear even made from natural rubber anymore? Based on the information in the article on natural rubber shortages below, I highly doubt it. If anyone knows actual manufacturers, I'd appreciate some information.
9 comments:
Are you confusing latex rubber with PVC?
As far as I know most rubber gear is natural. At least, all the rubber that I currently own is natural latex rubber, and your stuff looks like it too. :)
4D Rubber is a major supplier of natural sheet latex rubber to the UK and Europe. Check their front page for some reassurance that your favourite fetish pass-time is "environmentally friendly". :D
My bad if I'm wrong. You'd probably be the expert on this more than I. I thought most rubber produced today was synthetic. Maybe just for industrial use? Something else to research...
Most rubber produced today is synthetic, but mostly used in the automotive industry. I suspect you're right - that most latex sheeting used in the manufacture of clothing is natural rubber that has gone through the vulcanization process (a process by which the rubber is heated and sulfur, peroxide or bisphenol are added to improve resilience and elasticity, and to prevent it from perishing), otherwise the rubber would eventually turn to dust.
Because it is from a high-demand natural source would explain the cost of it as well!
That makes me feel better!
Well, a little better....;-)
It's all the chemicals from the vulcanization process that make the rubber smell so 'synthetic'.
I'm not sure that the latex rubber used in fetish clothing goes through that vulcanisation process.
"-otherwise the rubber would eventually turn to dust."
You may find that a few years down the line, if you don't take care of your rubber, it will actually turn to dust...
I remember finding a natural coloured latex swim-sock (the type you'd wear if you had a verruca) at the bottom of a drawer that had been there since I used to go swimming at school and it had turned dark brown, solid, brittle and crumbled into small bits.
It must have been in that drawer for around 5 years and perhaps the chlorine from swimming sped up the process too.
It's sad to think that this wonderful material has such a short life-span.
On another note, Latex maybe be a natural product, but that isn't to say that it's an entirely environmentally friendly or ethical product.
I wonder how much rainforest has been chopped down to make way for rubber plantations to meet our demand for catsuits?
Very interesting points, Fox. I guess we can only hope that as our latex clothing deteriorates, it is a great reason to get something new that through experience and taste we know is a better creation than what we had had.
All environmentalism aside, of course.
I'm as guilty as the next guy in the developed world of taking more than my fair share from this planet. For me to justify the ecological imprint of my sexual fetishism is a bizarre, new concept - certainly something I wouldn't have done five years ago.
Still, everyone on the planet continues to justify their actions, behaviour and choices because none of us want to give up what we already have achieved.
I'm not sure what to think about that. Hmmm....
Do I really want to give up my latex fetishism if I have to?
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