Epoxy Resin vs Eco Resin: What Makers Actually Need to Know in 2026

Why This Conversation Is Happening Now

Epoxy resin has been the default casting material for makers for years. It's widely available, well-documented, and there are tutorials for it everywhere you look. So why are so many makers starting to push back?

Spend five minutes in any maker community on Reddit, Facebook, or TikTok and you'll see it. People asking if there's something safer. Parents worried about fumes near their kids. Small business owners realising the full cost — resin, hardener, respirator, pressure pot, acetone for cleanup, dedicated ventilation — is eating their margins. Crafters developing skin sensitivities after repeated exposure and quietly wondering if they have to stop altogether.

There is a better option for most maker applications. Let's compare them honestly — strengths and all.

What Is Epoxy Resin? (The Fair Version)

Epoxy resin is a two-part chemical system: resin plus hardener. When mixed, they react and cure into a hard, clear, glossy material. It's been the go-to for casting because it does certain things exceptionally well.

Where epoxy genuinely excels:

• Crystal clear finish — ideal for embedding objects, flowers, river tables, and clear jewellery

• Very hard and durable once fully cured

• Massive community with tutorials and support for almost every application

• Well-suited for specific high-clarity uses (thick clear pours, coating, encapsulation)

Where epoxy creates real problems:

• VOCs and fumes — requires serious ventilation or a proper respirator, not optional

• Skin sensitiser — repeated exposure can cause a permanent allergy that never goes away

• Exothermic reaction — generates heat, can crack or yellow in thick pours

• Not water-washable — solvents needed for cleanup (more cost, more chemical exposure)

• Petrochemical-based — significant environmental footprint

• Expensive in practice — the material cost is only part of it; add PPE, ventilation, equipment

• Steep learning curve — temperature, mixing ratios, bubble management, timing all matter

This isn't an attack on epoxy. It has a place. But for a lot of what makers are actually making, it's solving one problem while creating several others.

What Is Eco Resin?

The term "eco resin" covers a category of alternatives to traditional epoxy: bio-based resins, water-based casting compounds, and Jesmonite-type materials. They vary widely in composition, safety profile, and what they're actually good for.

Ecrylimer Creator by Bramblier sits in this category as a water-based casting compound — acrylic polymer plus mineral composite, no epoxy chemistry. It was invented in Australia in 2021 and is made in Tasmania.

Where Creator excels:

• No fumes — genuinely none. Work at your kitchen table with the window closed.

• Water cleanup or soapy water cleanup - use cured pieces crunched for terrazzo

• No PPE beyond a basic dust mask during powder mixing

• No pressure pot, no degassing equipment needed

• Faster demould times for most applications

• Significantly lower cost per piece than epoxy once you factor in everything

• Wide pigment range, easy to mix and control

• Made in Australia by the person who invented it — direct support, fast answers

Where Creator isn't the right tool (honesty matters here):

• Not crystal clear — this is an opaque material, not a substitute for clear casting

• Not as hard as fully cured epoxy — different material, different strengths

• Not suitable for river tables, clear embedding, or thick clear pours

• Newer product — smaller community than epoxy (but growing fast)

A note on crystalline silica — because most people don't know to ask

One thing that often gets missed in the eco resin conversation is crystalline silica — a known carcinogen and the cause of Silicosis, a lung disease with no cure. As of writing, 579 Australians are living with it.

Many concrete-type casting products contain Portland cement, which carries crystalline silica. One popular US-made product used by Australian candle makers contains up to 2% crystalline silica — that's up to 2kg per 100kg of material.

Ecrylimer Pro and Creator are free of crystalline silica. This was a deliberate design choice from day one — we didn't put hazardous chemicals in in the first place, rather than trying to mitigate them after.

If you're using any concrete-type casting product, please check its Safety Data Sheet. Every manufacturer is legally required to supply one.

Head-to-Head: The Comparison You Actually Want

Factor	Epoxy Resin	Eco Resin (Ecrylimer Creator)
Toxicity	VOCs, fumes, skin sensitiser with repeated exposure	No toxic fumes, no VOCs
Ventilation needed	Yes — dedicated ventilated space required	No — kitchen table is fine
PPE required	Respirator, gloves, eye protection	Basic dust mask for mixing only
Cleanup	Solvents (acetone / isopropyl)	Just water/sugar soap
Clarity	Crystal clear available	Opaque (not designed for clear casting)
Finish options	High gloss, clear	Matte, satin, gloss (with sealer), can be polished
Colour / pigment	Yes — requires resin-compatible pigments	Yes — wide pigment range, very easy to mix
Demould time	12–72 hours depending on product	30 minutes to just over an hour
Cost per piece	Higher — resin + hardener + PPE + equipment	Lower — no costly equipment, water cleanup
Equipment needed	Mixing cups, heat gun, pressure pot (ideally), ventilation	Mixing cups, scales. That's basically it.
Learning curve	Steep — bubbles, ratios, temperature, timing	Gentle — forgiving, easier to fix mistakes
Work environment	Dedicated ventilated workspace	Kitchen table, small studio, anywhere
Best for	Clear casting, embedding, river tables, jewellery	Homewares, trays, vessels, candles, sculptural pieces
Environmental	Petrochemical-based, not biodegradable	Water-based, lower environmental footprint
Made in	Mostly imported (China, US, EU)	Australia — made in Tasmania
Crystalline silica	Present in many concrete-type casting products	Free of crystalline silica
Shelf life (unmixed)	Can yellow over time; hardener degrades	24 months+, stable

So Which One Should You Use?

Choose epoxy resin if:

• You need crystal clear casting — river tables, embedding flowers or objects, clear jewellery

• You have a dedicated, well-ventilated workspace

• You're comfortable with PPE and chemical handling

• You specifically need the ultra-hard, glass-like finish epoxy produces
  

If you do need a clear resin, Bramblier stocks Ecrylimer Cast and Clear — the best formulation we could find after a lot of testing. Zero VOC, BPA-free, UV resistant, and classified as “Warning” rather than “Danger” under GHS standards — a meaningful step up from standard epoxy. It still requires PPE and ventilation, but it’s significantly safer than most options on the market.

Choose eco resin / Ecrylimer Creator if:

• You're making homewares, trays, vessels, candles, or decorative pieces

• You work from home, a small studio, or a shared space

• You want to skip the fumes, PPE, pressure pots, and solvent cleanup

• You're running a small business and your cost per piece matters

• You're concerned about long-term health — especially skin sensitisation or silica exposure

• You want something forgiving to learn on and scale up from

• You're in Australia and want local supply with direct support from the inventor

Honestly? In most cases they're not competing for the same job. Epoxy does things Creator can't — clarity, embedding, thick clear pours. Creator does things that make far more sense than epoxy for most maker businesses: safer to work with, cheaper per piece, easier to learn, better margins.

What Makers Are Actually Saying

We asked our community. Here's what people told us after making the switch.

"I love Epoxy resin but as it turns out I'm allergic to it, so I am so glad I can use Ecrylimer with no issues at all."  — Tracy

"I have worked with epoxy resin for about 3 years so this was quite a change but I love it. So easy to work with and the results are fantastic."  — Sandra

"Not only is this product superior to Jesmonite due to its limited bubbles, ease of use and working time — you don't have to sand unless it's a sharp edge. I've already gone through 21kg and just ordered another 42kg."  — Rachel Howard

"I had my first taste of Jesmonite a few months ago and I was so excited to cast more, but to my dismay I couldn't find it anywhere. I found Ecrylimer, it ticked all the boxes — locally made and in stock! It feels good to be creating again."  — Marian Mullin

"I've been using Creator for a while now — the best product on the market. Don't have to wait as long to pour into moulds compared to Hydrostone, it is safer to use and the pigments work great."  — Vanessa Mccrohon

"I love that it's eco friendly. No nasty smells and hardly any bubbles. Hands down the best I have found."  — Stephanie Rathbun

"I love that it is so easy to use, easy to measure and mix! It is in a great price range especially that I'm starting out as a business."  — Stefani Harris

"I love this product — it mixes easily and doesn't have a toxic smell to it!"  — Wendy Minto

"I love that it is eco friendly and non toxic. It is easy to mix and use."  — Jude Campbell

Ready to Try It?

If you're curious, the easiest way in is a starter kit. Ecrylimer Creator ships Australia-wide and comes with everything you need to start making on day one.

Already using epoxy and want to test Creator alongside it? Start with the Creator + Matte Sealer bundle for the full experience.