Are Horse Components Actually Used to Make Glue?

Glue is a regular staple at school rooms and homes, nevertheless what exactly is it fabricated from? Some rumors counsel the sticky substance is also very like gelatin and use animal-derived elements. The truth is a number of sorts of glue do in precise truth use elements (like collagen) taken from animal elements, nevertheless your frequently Elmer’s glue doesn’t. It’s purely chemical-based.

One reader, an elementary faculty teacher, wrote in after listening to a concerned baby counsel glue is created from lifeless horses. The question: Are there any animal elements in Elmer’s and totally different glues? This reply makes an try to help a teacher with a sticky state of affairs involving glitter and a roomful of 8-year-olds.

Does Glue Use Animal Components?

Question: I’m a newbie elementary faculty teacher with a barely odd question. Closing week, I attempted to steer my class in a Valentine’s Day crafting free-for-all. Growth paper, glitter, and all the fixings have been distributed. The last word objects handed spherical have been little, innocuous bottles of Elmer’s Glue.

Mari, actually one in all my additional precocious faculty college students, took one take a look at her bottle and turned as white as its contents. She then shrieked like a banshee, “These things is created from lifeless horses!” and commenced weeping. Ineffective silence adopted. Then obtained right here a chorus of cries, snickers, boisterous naying, and the kind of pandemonium solely a room stuffed with 8-year-olds can generate. I reassured the children that this was not true the least bit however it was too late. Mari’s declaration had sparked a mini glue revolt and I scrapped the problem for the day.

The issue is, I’m properly aware of the adage about “sending retired horses to the glue manufacturing unit,” nevertheless I on a regular basis thought-about it a silly saying. I do know that gelatin has animal elements in it so I’m curious as to if there’s any truth behind this. Are there horse—or each different animal—elements in Elmer’s and totally different glues?

Trying to be a pal to Mr. Ed,

—Wendy, Rancho Mirage, Calif.

Which Glues Embrace Animal Components and Which Don’t?

Reply: Hey Wendy,

Yikes. Kids these days, eh? Little Mari although on to 1 factor, is barely misinformed (AND looks like she has a knack for inflicting a ruckus… sorry couldn’t resist). Merely make certain to not serve her any Jell-O shortly, or your subsequent class speaker is also a advisor from PETA.

Glue, historically, is actually created from collagen taken from animal elements, notably horse hooves and bones. In actuality, the phrase “collagen” comes from the Greek studywhich means glue. This apply has been occurring for 1000’s and 1000’s of years; it’s not the invention of some enterprising farmer named Elmer who had only a few about-to-be-put-down horses on his arms, a knack for pure chemistry, and a vat of boiling water. So, positive, as unpleasant to think about because it’s, glue can comprise animal-based elements (today it’s principally cattle hooves). Adhesive aficionados seem to gravitate in the direction of fish and conceal glues. Nevertheless honestly, I’d be hard-pressed to say there are quite a few horse-slaughtering glue operations nonetheless available on the market since synthetics are quite a bit cheaper and extra sensible.

So what about that bottle of Elmer’s that despatched Mari proper right into a tizzy? Based mostly on the company, no horse or each different animal is (in the mean time) harmed throughout the making of their product. Elmer’s Glues, like many enterprise “white” glues these days, are 100% chemical-based, which, counting on the way in which you take a look at it, is worse than reusing the physique elements of lifeless ungulates.

Based mostly on Elmer’s, its glues use solely chemical substances which will be synthesized or created by man. Though the company doesn’t share its exact methodology or specific elements, it notes that the chemical substances have been initially obtained or manufactured from petroleum, pure gasoline, and totally different raw provides current in nature.

I’m not pretty constructive strategies to tell you to proceed with this, Wendy. An informative class space journey to a neighborhood rendering plant is out of the question and I wouldn’t sit down Mari down for a chat regarding the environmental ills of petrochemicals. I can even’t take into consideration a childhood with out good, old skool Elmer’s.

Sadly, there aren’t a ton of non-synthetic, vegan glues obtainable available on the market, at least ones which will be classroom-friendly. There are unhazardous, made-in-Italy Coccoina Adhesive Glue Sticks, nevertheless they’re usually expensive and arduous to come back again by. Plus, they scent like marzipan so any faculty college students already inclined to stay consuming could also be tempted to snack on the craft supplies.

I’d say merely give it a second try. Kids are fickle, and besides Mari truly loves horses, she may need already fully forgotten about it.