Can epoxy resin make you sick?

You’re thinking about making art, jewelry, and crafts with resin. Then you read some articles about resin safety, and you’re wondering if epoxy resin can make you sick.

As a mom of teenage boys, I’ve been known to only share the bad stuff to scare the crap out of them. It keeps them from doing stupid stuff.

So if reading scary resin stuff is what needs to happen to keep you mindful when making resin crafts, then I’m all for it.

But talking one adult to another, here’s what you need to know.

Resin kits are chemicals. You should only use them after reading and understanding the instructions and the safety precautions. I get that it’s tempting to use resin crafting kits without absorbing all that information first. I’ve been known to cut the tag off a mattress only to read that ‘do not remove’ phrase afterward. But it’s crucial to understand how to use resin safely so that you can have fun using it for a very long time.

I have crafted with resin since 2006. (Which is before Netflix ever streamed a movie.) And this is what I teach students who are asking, can epoxy resin make you sick?

Wear protective gear

You must wear protective gloves. I  wear nitrile gloves, but latex gloves work too.

Ensure good ventilation

Weather permitting, I open windows in my crafting room to get cross-ventilation. If that’s not possible, I have a desktop fan set so it blows fresh air towards my face. A ceiling fan set to a low speed is also helpful for moving air within your room.

Use a safe resin

You might think that if a resin is available to buy, it’s safe for you to use. Unfortunately, some companies sell resins that don’t meet safety requirements.

So how do you know if your resin is safe?

You need to see on the resin kit label that it CONFORMS TO ASTM D-4236. If it doesn’t, DON’T USE IT.

⚠️ IMPORTANT: All Resin Obsession resins have the CONFORMS TO ASTM D-4236 certification. They’ve got a board-certified toxicologist endorsement that they’re safe for creative use in any location (not just your home).

If you are still wondering if epoxy resin can make you sick, here’s my BEST advice:

You can never be too safe.

Doing more than basic safety is never wrong. For example, when I’m working with large resin volumes, I wear a plastic apron and fumes respirator. This is in addition to following basic resin safety precautions.

Here’s a studio tour where I recently explained how I get good room ventilation when creating with resin.

Lastly, if you have any concerns about whether the resin is creating problems for you, STOP. Speak with a healthcare provider about your concerns. Your health and well-being are everything.

Want to get started creating with resin but confused about where to start?

It’s why I wrote the ebook Resin Fundamentals. I’ve condensed my years of resin experience into the need-to-know facts about resin. Buy the PDF book now and you can download it to read in minutes.

Unpublished Blog Posts of Resin Obsession, LLC © 2023 Resin Obsession, LLC