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Hot glue sticks for fabric

Updated: 23 October 2026

Hot glue sticks for fabric are not one product. A standard craft stick can hold a scrap that survives the nozzle, and it can scorch thin cloth or polystyrene. We looked at twelve EVA refills captured on amazon.co.uk on 19 October 2026, from ANSIO at £3.95 to a WORKPRO 11 mm pack at £18.99. This is not a lab test, and a qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you. None of the twelve is a stated low-temperature grade. The rows are on the [hot glue sticks comparison](/hub/fillers-adhesives-and-sprays/hot-glue-sticks). The barrel still has to match, which is the [7 mm versus 11 mm](/hub/fillers-adhesives-and-sprays/hot-glue-sticks/sub/hot-glue-sticks-7mm-vs-11mm) page.

Hot glue sticks for fabric are not one product. A standard craft stick can hold a scrap that survives the nozzle, and it can scorch thin cloth or polystyrene.

Our top picks

SHALL SHALL hot glue sticks, 11 mm × 200 mm, 70

Best overall

SHALL SHALL hot glue sticks, 11 mm × 200 mm, 70
8.6/10about £16.99
View offer
WORKPRO WORKPRO hot glue sticks, 7 mm × 100 mm, 200

Best value

WORKPRO WORKPRO hot glue sticks, 7 mm × 100 mm, 200
7.7/10about £7.99
View offer
ANSIO ANSIO hot glue sticks, 7 mm × 100 mm, 50

Rank 3

ANSIO ANSIO hot glue sticks, 7 mm × 100 mm, 50
9.0/10about £3.95
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.When a standard craft stick is reasonable
  2. 2.When foam, polystyrene or thin fabric will scorch
  3. 3.Low temperature is a grade, not a bullet
  4. 4.Fabric sticks that are still hot
  5. 5.What to order for this job

When a standard craft stick is reasonable

A normal EVA stick sets by cooling. Claims of 15 or 30 seconds are a handling bond, not a wash. Bostik’s UK DIY sheet, a 12 mm stick outside this set, lists fabric and floristry, with full strength at about 1–2 hours at 20°C. Try felt, ribbon or a florist stem you can spare. BEEWAY reviewers report a hold on fabric. SHALL at £16.99 is the long 11 mm option, and it still needs a scrap test.

When foam, polystyrene or thin fabric will scorch

Stop when the scrap shrinks, melts or marks. Polystyrene, thin craft foam, balloons and synthetic costume cloth fail under a normal nozzle. Bostik’s sticks quote a gun around 175–200°C. A sheet that names polystyrene is not proof a school costume will survive. A child-safe bullet is not UKCA and does not cool the tip. Electrical Safety First still expects a UK three-pin plug, an adult with children, and the gun unplugged after use. If glue hits skin, cool it under running water for 20 minutes and do not peel it.
SHALL SHALL hot glue sticks, 11 mm × 200 mm, 70

Testsieger

SHALL SHALL hot glue sticks, 11 mm × 200 mm, 70
8.6/10about £16.99
View offer

Low temperature is a grade, not a bullet

A low-temperature stick states a melt point and needs a matching gun. Steinel sticks sold by Tooled-Up are 7 mm at 85°C for the GlueMatic 1007-LT, including textiles and polystyrene, at £4.95 including VAT. That is not a normal mini craft gun. A low-temperature Dremel option sits around 105–140°C. Neither is in this set of twelve. BEEWAY quotes viscosity of 9,000±500 mPa·s at 180°C while claiming high, low, dual and multi-temperature use. SHALL’s dual line is on a pack reviewers say smells and smokes. ADHES hi-temp mini is hotter, not an 85°C grade.

Fabric sticks that are still hot

A fabric formula can still be a hot gun. Online Stationers lists Rapid 12 mm textile and leather sticks at 170–190°C, softening around 80–96°C, open for about 30 seconds, with several inc-VAT prices and no single shelf price. Baker Ross sells 200 mm × 11 mm sticks for fabric and other materials at a special price of £6.95, for their own gun, with no melt temperature. A US machine-washable claim does not transfer to ANSIO, BEEWAY or SHALL. Bostik’s 12 mm sheet runs about −40°C to +65°C, so a 60°C wash sits at that ceiling. Polythene and polypropylene still miss.

What to order for this job

Stay with these packs only after the scrap survives and the diameter matches. A 7 mm gun takes ANSIO or the WORKPRO 200-pack. An 11 mm gun takes SHALL or a WORKPRO 11 mm pack. SHALL’s water-resistant line is a listing claim. BEEWAY and JelKen say not water resistant. Leave the set when the scrap marks, and buy a stated low-temperature pair, such as Steinel 85°C sticks in the 1007-LT. A hot textile stick in a low-melt gun is the wrong pair.

Common questions

Can I use ordinary hot glue sticks on fabric?
Yes, on a scrap that does not scorch: felt, ribbon on card, a florist stem, a small embellishment. BEEWAY reviewers mention a hold on fabric. The bond is a cooling joint with a handling time in the tens of seconds, not a washable seam. If the offcut shrinks or marks, stop and use a stated low-temperature grade instead of another pack from this set.
Will a normal glue gun melt polystyrene, floral foam or craft foam?
It can. A normal nozzle on Bostik’s sticks is about 175–200°C, and a sheet that names polystyrene is not a guarantee for thin foam. Test an offcut. If it melts or shrinks, leave these twelve refills. Steinel’s 85°C sticks are the sort of grade sold for polystyrene, and they need the matching low-temperature gun.
Do costumes and floristry need a low-temperature stick?
Costumes and thin synthetic cloth often do, once a scrap scorches. Light floristry on a stem that survives the nozzle can stay with a normal 11 mm stick of 200 mm if you want fewer reloads. The decision is the scrap, not the word fabric on the packet. Children still need an adult at the gun.
Is high, low and dual the same as an 85°C grade?
No. BEEWAY quotes viscosity at 180°C while claiming high, low, dual and multi-temperature use. SHALL makes a similar dual claim on a pack that smells and smokes in reviews. An 85°C grade is a printed melt point for a low-temperature gun, such as Steinel’s GlueMatic 1007-LT sticks.
Are any sticks in this comparison a low-temperature grade?
No. The twelve captured packs are ordinary EVA refills. ADHES is hi-temp mini, which is hotter, not cooler. Low-temperature sticks around 85°C, or a Dremel band near 105–140°C, are sold separately in the UK and are not in this table.
Will hot glue wash out of clothes?
Do not plan on it. These listings do not claim a machine-washable fabric stick, and a US washable formula is not evidence for them. Bostik’s 12 mm sheet, a different product, has a service ceiling around +65°C. A hot wash can soften a bond that felt solid at room temperature. Test a scrap you can spare, and do not glue a garment you must launder.

Related pages

How to use hot glue sticks

Hot glue sticks buying guide

Hot glue sticks

7mm vs 11mm glue sticks: fit, melt-back and length

Best hot glue sticks: mini pick and full-size pack

Sources

Public UK sources used for this comparison. amazon.co.uk prices, stars and review counts were taken from the listings on 19 October 2026.

  1. NHS burns and scalds (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. Electrical Safety First, glue guns (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. Glue Guns Direct, stick sizes (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. Glue Guns Direct, hot melt fumes (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. Glue Guns Direct, glue gun safety (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. Bostik DIY hot melt glue sticks TDS00037 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. Novus hot glue sticks (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. amazon.co.uk best sellers, Hot Glue Sticks (retrieved 19 October 2026)