Draft:Slime (craft)



Slime is a type of non-Newtonian fluid typically made at home by mixing polyvinyl acetate and water with an activator such as borax. Common additions to improve look or feel include food coloring, cornstarch, shaving cream, glitter, foam beads, and plastic charms. In the mid-2010s, making and playing with do-it-yourself slime became an online trend, popularized by ASMR-style "slime videos" on Instagram.

Origin and trend
D.I.Y. "slime videos," characterized by a pair of disembodied hands poking or stretching slime, originated in Thailand and Indonesia in the early 2010s, and started gaining global popularity in the summer of 2016. In December of 2016, sales of Elmer's Glue more than doubled due to the slime trend, and between October and June of 2017, Etsy searches for "slime" increased 9,000 percent. In 2017, "How to make slime?" was the most-Googled "How to" question in the United Kingdom, and worldwide Google search interest increased by 450 percent.

Various creators on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok have found significant success exclusively from making slime videos.

D.I.Y. slime tends to be more viscous than either gunge or Flubber, and emits cracking or squishing noises when handled. As a result, videos of slime being poked often trigger an autonomous sensory meridian response. Slime videos are also known for their "oddly satisfying" quality.

Cultural impact
In the musical theater community, "slime tutorial" is shorthand for bootleg recordings uploaded online, which are often misleadingly labeled to prevent copyright strikes.

In 2024, the ironic phrase "no glue, no borax" entered wide usage on TikTok, signifying a request for a certain outcome without key components.