Slime
TypeNovelty toy and stress toy
CompanyMattel
CountryUnited States
Availability1976–present
MaterialsGuar gum, PVA glue
SloganGooey, drippy, oozy, cold 'n clammy[1]

Slime was a toy product manufactured by Mattel, sold in a plastic trash can and introduced in February 1976.[2] It consisted of a non-toxic viscous, squishy and oozy green or other color material made primarily from guar gum.[3] Different variations of Slime were released over the years, including Slime containing rubber insects, eyeballs, and worms.

The late 1970s also introduced a Slime Monster board game; the object of the game was to avoid having your game piece slimed on by a foot-tall plastic monster that had slime oozing from its mouth. Other toy companies have produced their own slime such as Hordak's Slime Pit playset as part of the Masters of the Universe toys in the 1980s, and Ecto-Plazm play gel[4] sold with selected figures in Kenner's Real Ghostbusters toy line. Playmates Toys' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figure line also had Retro-mutagen slime sold in containers and included with playsets.[5]

While the substance was non-toxic, it was extremely difficult to remove from soft furnishings.

Chemical components

The main components are the polysaccharide guar gum, and sodium tetraborate. As an alternative to the polysaccharide, other alcohol-group containing polymers (such as polyvinyl alcohol) may be used to a similar result. These non-polysaccharide polymer products are more often referred to as flubber. Due to its ingredients, leaving the slime outside its container could cause the slime to dry or get stuck in fabric or one's hair.[5]

Cultural impact

Slime has expanded into other franchises such as Masters of the Universe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Ghostbusters. The Masters of the Universe slime toy features Hordak, an antagonist from Masters of the Universe. Created by Kenner, Ghostbusters slime had different colors of slime, due to the food coloring Kenner added to it. It then expanded into action toys and a playset. For the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the slime is called Retromutagen Ooze, a reference to how the turtles were made. The slimes were later added to toy sets. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles slime line is made by Playmate. Slime use has expanded to various Nickelodeon game shows, including ['Super Sloppy'] Double Dare and -- most notably -- Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards,[5] though the composition and history differs from that of the toy slime.

Toxicity scare

In 2018, Which? reported that eight out of eleven slime lines from Amazon contained boron levels that exceeded European Union safety standards.[6] Slime uses borax, a compound of boron, to give itself a gelatinous texture. Parents were warned that excessive exposure to boron can cause skin irritation, diarrhoea, vomiting and cramps.[7] However, according to Snopes, claims about slime's carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, and neurotoxicity were either false or unlikely to matter in the concentrations available to consumers and through their typical routes of exposure.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Engber, Daniel (2016-07-18). "Will Ghostbusters Bring Back the Glory Days of Slime?". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
  2. ↑ SLIME, ser. no. 75/198,386 (filed November 15, 1996), reg. no. 2,206,408 (December 1, 1998) (noting date of first use in commerce as February 18, 1976). United States Patent and Trademark Office. Accessed March 10, 2018.
  3. ↑ Guar Gum Slime, by David A. Katz
  4. ↑ "Real Ghostbusters Ecto-Plazm! | x-entertainment.com". x-entertainment.com. Retrieved 2017-12-09.
  5. 1 2 3 Wilson, John (22 March 2016). "Slime: A History Of Mattel's Grossest Toy Plus Tips On How to Make Slime!". Completeset. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  6. ↑ Fox, Hannah (17 Jul 2018). "Children's toy slime on sale with up to four times EU safety limit of potentially unsafe chemical". Which?. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022.
  7. ↑ "Parents warned over 'toxic' slime". BBC. 17 July 2018.
  8. ↑ Kasprak, Alex (20 March 2017). "Does the "Slime" Craze Bring Serious Health Risks?". Snopes.
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