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Choosing the Ideal Mascot Material

When designing your mascot costume, you have a variety of options. The overall look, type, colors, and accessories are all important in creating an ideal mascot. When taking all these design options into consideration, it is important to not forget about the mascot material your mascot costume is created with. Every mascot material is different and has unique properties, best usage scenarios, and upkeep consideration. Here is a brief overview on how to select the right type of materials for your mascot costume.
Material Types
Foam is one of the most common mascot materials you’ll encounter. Foam is a very versatile material with several different types of foam available on the market today which are used for the basic structure of most mascots. This means the foam used in your mascot can be very rigid and sturdy, or highly flexible and easy to move. Aside from its versatility, foam is also lightweight and offers good airflow, making it easy to perform in. Also, specialty foam (reticulated, eva, etha, esther) doesn’t retain moisture, making it a long lasting material that is easier to maintain.
Much like foam, there are a great deal of fabric options suitable for use as a mascot material. You can’t just use any type of fabric in your mascot design, but you should be aware of the properties and uses. Cotton and polyester fabrics are excellent for a lightweight material used for clothing and accessories, but they can absorb moisture and require cleaning more often. Spandex is formfitting, easy to move around in, has a shiny quality but can snag more easily than other fabrics. There are also various types of faux fur and fleece to give a mascot a unique look, whether it is to create humanoid skin texture, animal bodies or any type of fantasy creature.
Other Materials that are often used in mascot construction include internal meshes that allow the wearer to stay comfortable, rubber soles for feet, and other materials that connect the various components of the costume together.
Materials to Avoid
When designing a mascot costume, you’ll want to avoid materials that absorb moisture and promote the growth of bacteria, heavy materials, toxic materials, and materials that are too weak to withstand the heavy physical usage a mascot costume has to endure over time.
Usage Considerations
When deciding on mascot material, we consider what your mascot will be doing. A mascot that performs a lot of stunts and physical activity will have to be its costume made out of durable materials that also keeps the wearer cool and comfortable. A mascot in a less physical role can be made out of materials that might be more delicate. Above all, the costume needs to be comfortable. Also the environment the mascot will be performing in has to be taken into consideration.
Care And Upkeep
What type of mascot material your costume is made of determines how you care for it. For example, you should never put a mascot costume in a washing machine or dryer because fur and felt can easily singe or melt. For foam heads (or hands and feet with foam in them) a spray spot cleaner should be used. Mascot costumes are delicate and need to be treated as such.
There are many options out there when it comes to the ideal mascot material. With careful selection and the help of professional mascot designers, you can create a costume that looks good and is easy to perform in and care for. When selecting a professional mascot design service, you should look for a company that uses high quality materials. At Hogtown Mascots, our team has years of experience in crafting top of the line mascot costumes using only the best materials available. Our thorough design process ensures you’ll get exactly the mascot you’ve been dreaming of!