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What are the components of an average suit? (Bonus points if you can break it down into percentages.)
Most fursuits consist of a few standard items. Faux fur, foam (similar to what you might find in a couch cushion but a bit more dense), and poly fill (the stuffing found in most plush toys). There are several methods of constructing the heads, the most popular being foam added atop a balaclava (a spandex hood). Other methods include fiberglass, metal frame, plastic sheet, heat-molded plastic (vaccuform), and block foam (carved from a solid block rather than bits being added to a balaclava).
The makeup of the materials vary. In general, about 80 percent faux fur, 15 percent foam, and 5 percent everything else (poly fill, plastic, glue, thread, zippers, spandex). A few ambitious people have included electronics, animatronics, and lighting elements. I made a head in 2003 with color-changing fiber optic whiskers.
Suits have gotten much more complicated. I have seen tails that wag, eyes that blink, and ears that twitch. Personally, I am working on a computerized lighting program for a costume. Lighting has become popular now that LEDs, EL Wire, and controllers are much cheaper and more available than they have been in the past.
Further Confusion continues Jan. 12-16 at the San Jose Convention Center, San Jose Marriott, and San Jose Hilton. For more details, visit the Further Confusion website.
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Sherilyn Connelly is a San Francisco-based writer. She also curates and hosts Bad Movie Night at The Dark Room, every Sunday at 8pm.
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