Cosplay Foam: Elevate Your DIY Costumes

In the world of cosplay, costumes are becoming ever more complex and detailed, so avid cosplayers are always looking for new ways to achieve intricate DIY designs. From foam and worbla (a thermoplastic with wooden chips) to caulk and HDPE, there are plenty of materials for the perfect costume or effect. A common challenge is knowing which tools to use to get the result you want, and how to use them at home.

The Cricut: a cult tool for cosplayers

A cult tool in the cosplay scene is the Cricut, brilliant for creating and cutting repetitive patterns such as chainmail or scale effects. With it, we recommend Plastazote foam: a closed-cell polyethylene blown with nitrogen, which gives it tough, flexible qualities that quickly bounce back into shape – perfect for costumes, and especially popular for armour. It's affordable and high quality, often textured and available in many colours, and can be ordered cut to size or as a foam sheet.

Using a Cricut to cut foam

To create a scale effect with the Cricut, use a knife blade for a precise cut and Plastazote foam 2-3mm thick. In Cricut Design Space, create your pattern or download one online, and use a foam sheet no larger than 29cm x 58cm, otherwise it will exceed the cutting mat and be hard to secure. Then follow these steps:

1. Secure the foam to the Cricut mat with a removable sticker sheet (not masking tape) and tape down the edges.
2. Attach the knife blade – it needs full supervision and takes a little longer than a deep blade, but the effect is far superior.
3. Select the "Basswood 1/16" setting with the default pressure, and move both star wheels to the sides to protect the mat and foam.
4. Load the mat with the arrow button and press cut.
5. The knife pre-setting cuts the foam 14 times, which may be more than you need, so pause mid-cut with the "C" button once you're happy, then press the arrow to release and remove the foam.

Finishing touches

Repeat this process as many times as you need to build the perfect costume part. For finishing, see our guides to painting foam and cutting closed-cell foam. For detailed guidance on foam for cosplay or other costumes, please contact one of our friendly advisers.

Frequently asked questions

What foam is best for cosplay?

Plastazote, a closed-cell polyethylene foam blown with nitrogen, is a popular choice. It's tough and flexible and bounces back into shape, making it ideal for armour and intricate costume parts, and it's affordable, often textured and available in many colours.

Can you cut cosplay foam with a Cricut?

Yes. A Cricut is brilliant for repetitive patterns like chainmail or scales. Use a knife blade with Plastazote foam 2-3mm thick, a sheet no larger than 29cm x 58cm, and secure it with a removable sticker sheet rather than masking tape.

What other materials are used in cosplay?

Alongside foam, cosplayers use worbla (a thermoplastic with wooden chips), caulk and HDPE, among others, to achieve different effects. Knowing which tools to use, and how to use them at home, is often the main challenge.