# Glitter production **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 19, 2002, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glitter-production/143871 "2002-12-19T19:37:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glitter-production/143871/21 "2002-12-20T19:47:21Z")
Nah, it just goes over the top as far as freindly pranks go, cause it never ends. now if it’s _revenge_ or something sinister in your heart… ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glitter-production/143871/22 "2002-12-20T19:51:30Z")
_Very_ interesting question. Apparently, glitter is _cut_ from a metallized polymer film. [From here:](http://www.chinafengxing.com/ep1.htm) > [@](#): > > **GLITTER POWDER** > Also known as sparkle, these are micro chips cut from metallized/irridescent film for a bright and fascinating effect. Different colours, sizes and cuts are available for different applications. Additionally, from [Glittergo Ltd](http://www.glittergo.com/products.htm), describing their product: > [@](#): > > Made from epoxy coated 24.micron polyester film which is micro slitted in to widths of .02 mil to .08 mil. This is then precision cut either into square or hexagonal particles. Glittergo use’s top quality polyester films which are manufactured in both Japan and the USA. All glitter supplied by Glittergo has been fully tested for light fastness, temperature resistance, suspension properties, chemical resistance and colour adherence. Also check out [Glitron Products](http://www.glitron.com/) (their MSDS calls out “metallized/coated polyester film”). To sum up: thin metallized polymer film is slit and then cut into chips. Possibly the odd shapes (hearts, etc) are made somewhat differently, though. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glitter-production/143871/23 "2002-12-20T19:56:49Z")
Merry Christmas to you, too, **zut.** Here I was, basking in my theory of pixies in bondage, and you had to come in and harsh my buzz. Next thing you’ll be telling me is that there are no legions of elves chained to tables at the north pole, making toys for a the good girls and boys, while the elves that didn’t suck up to Santa are down in the mines, digging up chunks of coal for the bad kids. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glitter-production/143871/24 "2002-12-20T19:59:27Z")
Mica has long been used to make things glittery, and is still a common component in many glitters today: > [@](#): > > Mica is nature’s glitter. Bearing no relation to the chopped-up bits of plastic used in grade-school art class, it adds a fashionable sheen to everything it touches – plastics, paints, cosmetics, even the mining industry, which is mired in a profit slump because of low commodity prices. [biz news](http://www.supplycurve.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/about/wsj.html?E+scstore) The manufacture of mica glitter is pretty straightforward: > [@](#): > > Mica Flakes is mica scrap ground into sizes ranging from 2 mesh to 8 mesh. This material is prepared mainly by the means of rotary hammer crushing machine in which the mica is literally beaten till such time that the required size is not achieved and the material passes out from graded sieves attached therein. > > 1)MUSCOVITE MICA FLAKES FOR PEARLESCENT PIGMENTS > MUSCOVITE MICA FLAKES of superior quality having low iron contents are used in large proportion in production of PEARLESCENT PIGMENTS, because of its reflective and refractive properties and its ability to reproduce artificially a “mother of pearl” or nacreceous colours from silver white through all shades of the rainbow varying from a silky lustre to a glittering sparkle. Mica have high refractive index (greater than sparkle. Mica have high refractive index (greater than 2.5) and a good chemical, mechanical and thermal stability. [Mica Manufacture](http://www.micamafco.com/dry.asp?nm=dry) This [review of glitter technologies](http://www.pcimag.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/features/BNP __Features__ Item/0,1846,81659,00.html) lists a variety of other sparkly substances: bismuth oxychloride crystals, borosilicate glasses, plastics, alumina flakes, titanium oxide etc. etc. Each of these types of glitter is made by a different process. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glitter-production/143871/25 "2002-12-20T20:55:43Z")
Oh yeah! Bismuth oxychloride is marketed to cosmetics manufacturers as “Pearl-Glo”! I forgot all about that stuff - sampling it for QC was a pain… ---
**Author:** ![Super\_Gnat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Super\_Gnat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Gnat)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glitter-production/143871/26 "2002-12-20T21:25:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NurseCarmen \* > \*\*Nah, it just goes over the top as far as freindly pranks go, cause it never ends. > > now if it’s _revenge_ or something sinister in your heart… \*\* Prank? I want to do it to _my_ car! 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glitter-production/143871.md?page=1)