When you are building a cosplay you can use virtually any material you can find, but it is true that we cosplayers tend to use some things more than others. I put together a short list of cosplay materials. I usually stock most of these materials at home when I build my cosplays. Remember that buying in bulk may decrease costs but will also mean you need the space to store them. I have a full room just for crafting my cosplays.
Ultimately how good your cosplay becomes wil depend not so much on the quality of your materials but your expertise and patience using them. You do not need to spend a lot of money to make some incredible builds. Do not worry if things don’t go as you expected the first seven times you try to use a material. It takes time to improve but you will eventually get there if you keep trying and practicing
List of cosplay materials
I tried to order this list of materials by types. You may use some of this things more than others or perhaps you won’t use them at all. It will all depend on the project you are working with at the time and your own preferences. This list will never be complete as you can use virtually anything to recreate a costume, from bottle caps to toothpicks, do not discard anything as it may be useful for the most unexpected project. However, I believe the materials below are maybe the most used.
Fabric
In my opinion the most basic material for cosplay is fabric. It is true that you can recycle clothes or may not need much for a full armour but most people will start with it. There are many different textile fibers you can choose for your fabric, each one with its own set of properties and they will be used for different projects and garments.
Do not forget to check the haberdashery section when you buy fabric for cosplay, as you will need all those buttons, elastics and closures to finish your garment and they will be useful for many other parts of your cosplay.
- Fabric
- Thread
- Velcro
- Buttons
- Automatic buttons
- Zippers
- Elastics
- Fiber filling
- Leather
- Ribbon
- Trims
- Bias tape
Cardboard and paper
Cardboard may not be very durable but it is a very cheap option. Personally I don’t use it for builds but it creates amazing props and stage scenography if you just want to use them in a skit for a few hours. Layering newspaper and glue may be time consuming but will get you some cheap and hard props as well if you don’t have money to get other more expensive materials.
Of course, you will also need to make lots of sketches and pattern your pieces. Make sure you have plenty of paper in several sizes and keep a notebook with any important details you may need to remember. Maybe a Cosplay Planner can help you finish all those projects in time.
- Cardboard
- Old newspapers
- A4 sheets
- A3 sheets
- Tracing paper
- Notebooks
Foam and styrene
Foam is a cosplayer favourite. You can find it in many shapes, thicknesses and densities. There are many different types of foam. The easiest to find are craft foam and foam floor mats but the best results are usually with high density foams. They work great for armour and little details for your cosplay. They are lightweight and easy to carve. Make sure to check my introduction to craft foam to check some of its amazing properties.
Appart from 2mm to 10mm sheets, you can find some shapes like dowels, spikes or spheres. Craft stores will usually have polyestyrene foam, which is very lightweight but also more difficult to work with as it melts and breaks very easily.
- Craft foam
- Foam floor mats
- High density foam
- Plastazote foam
- Foam dowels and spheres
- Polyestyrene sheets
- Polyestyrene spheres
- Upholstery foam
- Foam board
Worbla and thermoplastics
Thermoplastics are a kind of plastic that can be heated to achieve a different shape. They are great for making durable armour and other pieces that need to be resistant. The different types of worbla have different properties and you may want to use them in different parts. Once you work with the different types you will learn where to use your worbla most effectively.
There are some alternatives to Worbla like Wonderflex and Thermocraft. They are usually cheaper but also more difficult to find. Also, Kobracast works pretty much like a plaster cast and is good for reinforcing weak areas. Don’t forget that you can reheat the leftovers to create something similar to a clay and you also have the option of deco art and crystal art, which create very smooth small items.
- Classic worbla
- Black worbla
- Meshed worbla
- Transparent worbla
- Pearl worbla
- Worbla Deco art
- Worbla Crystal art
- Wonderflex
- Thermocraft
- Kobracast
Plastics
3D printing is becoming very popular with cosplayers. Most 3D printer filaments are made with plastic. One of the exceptions is maybe PLA which is corn-starch based. It is time consuming and requires some computer knowledge, although now a days many propmakers will do this for you for a price. Remember, you don’t need to make all your cosplay and props if you don’t want to.
Appart from the prints you can get useful plastic parts for your cosplay. A PVC pipe will make a great base for weapons. You can get all kinds of bits and pieces in the craft store: rods, beads, googly eyes, they are all easily added to your cosplay to add details.
- PVC pipes
- Acetate sheets
- 3D printer filaments
- Tubes
- Beads
- Googly eyes
- Glue dots
- Baubles
Wood
You can use many types of wood for a durable prop and maybe some small details. Keep in mind that big builds may become really heavy and wood is difficult to carve. MDF may be cheap but it is very heavy. Balsa wood is great if you are looking for a lightweight material whichn is easier to cut. However, it is also very brittle.
Don’t underestimate the use of skewers, rods and lolly sticks. They will proof useful for many a project, even if it is just for stirring things or reinforcing flimsier materials.
- MDF wood
- Plywood
- Balsa wood
- Rods
- Skewers
- Lolly sticks
Metal
Probably you won’t be able to create an armour with metal easily. However, there are many pieces that will add to your cosplay. Studs, eyelets, buckles or D-rings are great for creating armours.
Do not underestimate the use of findings, rings and all kinds of little bits used for jewellery making either as you will be needing some at some point. For example, I use blank brooch pins all the time, but safety pins work too.
- Studs
- Spikes
- Eyelets
- D-Rings
- Buckles
- Findings
- Chainmail
Clays and Resins
For a really durable item you may want to cast a resin piece. This is probably the most time consuming way of really impressive pieces. You will need to sculpt your piece, create a mould and cast it with whichever resin fulfills your purposes. It may take a while but the results will be amazing.
For smaller pieces you can always get away with some cheaper clay, maybe paper mache and another cosplayer favourite, the foam clay. The latter is very light weight, easy to mould and air dries.
- Foam clay
- Paper mache
- Clay
- Polymer clay
- Sulfur free plasticine
- Rubber sylicone
- Resin
- Clear resin
- Polyurethane
Glass
This material is perhaps more difficult to integrate in your cosplay, but do not forget that strass, beads and cabochons made of glass make amazing decoration and will get you the shiniest results for your cosplays. You can recreate gems and jewels for cosplay in a budget with these pieces but remember that you usually have a cheaper plastic option if needed.
- Strass
- Beads
- Cabochons
Other materials
Don’t be afraid to experiment. Potentially anything can become the piece you are missing for your cosplay, go to stationary shops, craft stores or just the disccount store around the corner. Check your garage for unused or unwanted unique things that can work for you. You never know what is going to be your best asset in your next cosplay.
Of course you will also need to bond all these materials together. Do not forget the many tipes of adhesive tapes and anything sticky that will create your collection of glues for cosplay. Most of your materials will need a layer of paint too, so make sure to have a good collection at home, acrylic is a favourite. A good wig, coloured contact lenses for cosplay and amazing make up will always help you make or break your cosplay and you should always take them into consideration.
And if you need some inspiration for your next cosplay make sure to check my cosplay pattern collection. You can also support me on Ko-Fi if you want me to keep writing tutorials and creating new cosplays. A nice comment also helps!
