Is PVA Glue Vegan?

PVA glue is a common household or school glue that’s used by kids doing arts and crafts. But PVA is also used to make stronger PVA-based glues that are used in woodworking and furniture repair.

If you like to avoid anything that harms animals, you’ll want to know if PVA glue is cruelty-free and vegan.

In this article, I’ll explain what exactly PVA glue is, whether it may contain ingredients that are derived from animals and whether it’s considered to be vegan-friendly.

What’s in PVA glue made of?

White PVA craft glue and yellow PVA carpenter’s glue are both made from polyvinyl acetate, hence the initials P, V, A. PVA is a rubbery, synthetic polymer that’s a type of plastic. Some brands of PVA glue contain other ingredients like polyvinyl alcohol and propylene glycol as well.

PVA glue is considered to be vegan-friendly as it doesn’t contain any animal-derived ingredients. It’s made from a type of plastic and isn’t usually tested on animals for any reason.

Are all glues made out of PVA?

Not all glues are made of PVA. Super glue is made from cyanoacrylate adhesives and some other high-performance glues are made from polyurethane or epoxy resin. Similar to PVA, all of these glues are plastic-based, made from chemicals that are derived from petroleum or oil.

Suggested read: Is petroleum vegan?

Years ago, before people had the technology to make synthetic glues from petroleum, glue was made from the hides, horns, bones and hooves of animals. When boiled in water, the cooled solution yields gelatine, which can be used to make glue.

Is animal glue still used today?

Animal glue isn’t used as often as it once was, but it is still sometimes used in manufacturing, the production and repair of musical instruments and the conservation of artefacts.

Is glue still made with horses?

Animal glue was historically made from horses hooves that were boiled down to produce the gelatin needed to produce glue. That’s not often the case today, as animals such as cows, pigs and fish are more commonly used. However, most glue is synthetically made and does not contain animals.

Is there such thing as plant-based glue?

Knowing that glue either comes from plastic or from animals, you may be wondering if you can instead buy glue that’s made from plants. After all, this must be better for the environment?

There are many, natural plant-based types of glue that are made from vegetable starch, resins or cellulose. One example is gum Arabic, a natural resin that comes from the sap made by an acacia tree. Other glues can be made from corn, wheat or potatoes.

While plant-based glues are certainly more eco-friendly, they’re not suitable for every application. They work best with porous surfaces like paper and card and aren’t great for holding heavy weights.

Vegan Glue Brands

Here’s some info about whether particular brands of glue are cruelty-free and vegan-friendly…

Is Elmer’s glue vegan?

Emer’s glue is a vegan-friendly glue that doesn’t use any animal by-products. It’s While Elmer’s glue did contain casein from milk at one time, this is no longer the case and Elmer’s glue is now made only with synthetic materials.

Is Gorilla glue vegan?

All Gorilla glue products are vegan. The company has confirmed that they do not partake in any animal testing and none of their products contain animal by-products or animal-derived ingredients.

Is Wellbond vegan?

Wellbond is a type of PVA glue that is vegan-friendly. It only uses synthetic materials made from petroleum and is not tested on animals

Is DUO lash glue vegan?

DUO adhesive is cruelty-free suitable for use by vegans. This is a glue that is used for sticking on fake eyelashes, and their company says that they are 100% vegan.

Are Pritt Sticks vegan?

Pritt Stick glue sticks are vegan-friendly. They are made from 97% natural ingredients like potatoes starch and are not tested on animals.

The bottom line

If you like to use glue at home for arts and crafts then you can rest assured that PVA glue is vegan-friendly. However, as it’s plastic-based, it’s not the best for the environment.

You can make a natural, eco-friendly substitute for PVA glue by simply mixing flour, sugar and water. This will be sufficient to stick paper or card and is fun to make with kids at home.