Im a fashion designer and I had a cool idea with making a outfit partially made of flash paper with and other outfit made of different material underneath. Would setting off the paper be unsafe? Will the clothes underneath catch fire as well? Am I able to incorporate a fire retardant material such as leather/wool/silk to prevent burns or a fire? Thanks!
Flash Paper Couture: Hot fashion or up in smoke?
- Thread starter Dondregraca
- Start date
This would be pretty dangerous. Flash paper/nitrocellulose burns VERY hot, VERY fast. Depending on the fabrics around it, it would be entirely possible to light the whole thing up.
I've seen a poorly chosen shirt melt onto a fire performer's skin in the past, it's not a pretty sight. A single ember can cause a hole the size of a basketball. I've also seen flash paper create second degree burns in less than half a second.
If you wanted to do this, and I am by no means endorsing that path, you'll need to make sure that the area between the flash materials and the skin are thoroughly insulated, and also that the path the fire will take (generally upwards) is also insulated. Keep in mind hair is extremely flammable.
I would say decently thick leather, or wool, would be sufficient. Kevlar would be better. I wouldn't use silk.
I've seen a poorly chosen shirt melt onto a fire performer's skin in the past, it's not a pretty sight. A single ember can cause a hole the size of a basketball. I've also seen flash paper create second degree burns in less than half a second.
If you wanted to do this, and I am by no means endorsing that path, you'll need to make sure that the area between the flash materials and the skin are thoroughly insulated, and also that the path the fire will take (generally upwards) is also insulated. Keep in mind hair is extremely flammable.
I would say decently thick leather, or wool, would be sufficient. Kevlar would be better. I wouldn't use silk.
Honestly I wouldn't try anything with large amounts of flash paper in one central location. You are just asking for something to go wrong. Not necessarily "if" but when. I've burned holes in articles of clothing and a brand new close up pad trying to do "more" with flash paper than what was needed.
A small piece of paper the size of a penny is more than enough to produce a hot flash and produce a coin. Imagine if you had sheets of it? You are looking at perminent damage.