Gluing rhinestones on fabric is a cheap and fun way to decorate your clothing, make crafts, or embellish your furniture. Whatever your project might be, you should never cheap out or choose the glue carelessly.
Rhinestones and fabric are different materials which makes the list of the adhesives that can glue them a lot smaller. Fabric is also notoriously hard to glue, and given the fact that there are many types of fabric and rhinestones, you should definitely choose specific glue for this project.
But what is that specific glue that is compatible with both materials, dries clear, and has strong adhesion? Don’t worry, as we will give you a list of the 5 best glue for rhinestones on fabric. Along with the recommended adhesives, you can learn more about rhinestones, fabric, and adhesives in our informative guide later in the article.
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Best Glue For Rhinestones On Fabric – Reviews
We started our research with over 20 potential adhesives for bonding rhinestones on fabric. Only 5 adhesives met our strict criteria and can glue rhinestones on fabric successfully while preserving both materials. You really can’t go wrong with any of the adhesives on this list. They all work really well with fabric and rhinestones.
Our Pick
E6000 Fabri-Fuse Adhesive
Drying Color: Clear
Setting Time: 3 to 4 Hours
Viscosity: Medium
When we talk about performance and the ability to glue rhinestones on fabric, this glue is clearly the best. It can bond almost any type of rhinestone to fabric with ease.
What makes this glue so compatible with fabric and rhinestones is its flexibility. It allows this glue to stretch with the fabric and doesn’t lose its strength or get brittle. This property ensures the longevity of your crafts which no other adhesive can give.
The strength of the bond is excellent, as we would expect from an E6000 adhesive. It’s sufficient to bond the most challenging fabric and rhinestones with ease. It will hold the stones and make them inseparable from the fabric!
One of the reasons we picked this glue instead of the original E6000 or the crafting model is its low toxicity and odor. E6000 is notorious for emitting strong fumes that can irritate your eyes, lungs or make your breathing difficult. We were happy to see that this model doesn’t have this drawback. They were able to preserve its excellent performance and make it low VOC. Great job!
While many adhesives glue the rhinestones to fabric successfully and stick while dry, the bond is really put to the test when it hits the washing machine. This is where most fail, but not the E6000.
It is fully waterproof and washing machine safe after it cures. The great thing is that you can remove the excess glue with just water while it’s wet, but once it dries out, water can’t do anything to it.
The E6000 Fabri-Fuse dries clear, which is what we want for this application. There won’t be any visible trace of the bond as the residue will be transparent and not noticeable. The results will look clean and professional-like with this amazing glue!
The only thing that people don’t like about this adhesive is the setting time. It does take some time to dry and will require patience, but once it sets, you can count that the bond will be as good as it gets!
Liquid Fusion Clear Urethane Adhesive
Drying Color: Clear
Setting Time: 2-4 Hours
Viscosity: High
The runner-up on our list of the best glue for rhinestones on fabric is the Liquid Fusion Urethane Glue. It has the strength needed for this type of application and is compatible with both materials.
What we like the most about this adhesive is how well it works with so many different materials. It will bond just about anything you can think of, including, of course, rhinestones and fabric. It’s commonly used for gluing jewelry because of that.
It works wonderfully on those two materials and is very close in terms of the strength and flexibility to the number 1 adhesive on our list, the E6000 Fabri-Fuse.
This is one of the easiest adhesives to work with. It feels as if you control the glue, and not that the glue controls you, which is what we want for precise application. Part of that is the thick viscosity of the glue that makes it flow in a controlled amount and go where you want it to go while staying there.
The nozzle of the glue is designed excellently as it doesn’t clog or ooze after you’re done using it. It dispenses glue slowly and in small drops making it great for applying controlled amounts on small rhinestones.
The drying color is transparently clear and makes the glue look unnoticeable when cured. The results look very neat because of this. No discoloration or change in the appearance of dried residue occurs.
Since urethane adhesives are the most resistant glue type, it’s no surprise that this glue can withstand water and hot temperature with ease. What did surprise us is that it doesn’t expand like most urethane-based adhesives. The glue is also non-toxic and low VOC, making it great for indoor use.
Like with the Fabri-Fuse, the only downside of this adhesive is the drying time. You can expect it to set in 2 to 4 hours, depending on the amount of glue and the size of the parts. But again, if you want the adhesion to be proper and the bond to last a long time, get this glue, and you won’t be sorry!
Beacon Gem-Tac Permanent Adhesive
Drying Color: Clear
Setting Time: 1 Hour
Viscosity: Low
This adhesive from Beacon is specifically made for gluing rhinestones on fabric and does that job extremely well. Its performance is excellent and is up there with our top 2 adhesives.
Since it’s designed to bond rhinestones to fabric, this glue doesn’t disappoint for this application. It is very flexible, which makes the bond not get brittle over time and ensures its longevity. You can be sure that the bond will last as long as the fabric when you use this glue!
It works on just about every type of rhinestone and fabric that is commonly used for crafts and decorations. It’s tested on crystal, glass, resin, and acrylic rhinestones, and the results were outstanding!
You don’t have to worry about putting your newly decorated clothes into a washing machine if you used this glue. It is waterproof and resists high temperatures with ease, making it fully washing safe.
The drying color is, of course, clear, and the adhesive cleans up easily with water. This will help you get clean and expert-like results.
There is one thing that we don’t like, and that is the viscosity of this adhesive. It has a water-like consistency which makes it somewhat difficult to apply accurately. The thin viscosity makes the adhesive flow and run, making the controlled application more difficult.
One tip for easier application is not to pour the glue directly from the bottle but to put it in a small container. You can then use an application to get the right amount of glue onto the rhinestones without too much running or spillage.
All in all, we found this glue to work excellently on every type of rhinestone and most fabrics. It’s a great choice if you want your rhinestone and fabric work to be durable and professional-like!
Surebonder All Purpose Stick Glue Sticks
Drying Color: Clear
Setting Time: 60-65 seconds
Viscosity: Medium
Since all of the adhesives we reviewed until now are slow-setting, we thought it would be fair to include a fast-drying option as well. The hot glue sticks work great for rhinestones on fabric and are an excellent inexpensive alternative to standard adhesives.
As we already mentioned, the drying time is the main advantage of using glue sticks for bonding rhinestones to fabric. Most of the adhesives we recommended need at least an hour to set, which can slow down your work and be frustrating if you need the parts joined before continuing with the project.
With glue sticks, you can get the work done in just 60 seconds! This will significantly reduce the time you spend on your project, and more importantly, make you finish it faster!
The strength and the flexibility you get with glue sticks are good but aren’t quite on par with the 3 adhesives we reviewed above. The longevity of the bond isn’t as good as with the E6000 or Beacon glue but is sufficient for small hobby projects that don’t require the strongest and most resistant bond.
The hot glue sticks are waterproof, which means that you can safely wash the clothing if that is the fabric you’re bonding rhinestones to.
Another reason to go for glue sticks is their affordability. They won’t put too big a dent in your wallet as other adhesives. They are also very versatile and can be used for numerous other crafts so no stick will go to waste.
All in all, glue sticks are a solid budget alternative to standard adhesives if your project is small and doesn’t require longevity. They can save you both money and time as they are the fastest drying glue for rhinestones on the fabric you can buy!
Aleene's Jewel-It Embellishing Glue
Drying Color: Clear
Setting Time: 1 Hour
Viscosity: Medium
If you’re not a fan of hot glue sticks and want something affordable but yet more straightforward, the last adhesive on our list from Aleene’s might be for you. It ticks all the boxes and performs very well for gluing rhinestones on fabric while being modestly priced.
The glue is not toxic, which means you can use it indoors without worrying about fumes. It is also simple to clean using just water.
The drying color is clean, just like we want. It doesn’t alter the color of your fabric and gets you clean results.
It can glue most rhinestones on fabric with no issues as the bond is strong and flexible. You will ensure your project’s longevity by using this glue.
This adhesive is safe to wash in a washing machine but only after 7 to 10 days post-application. The setting time is around 1 hour, but we always recommend waiting for the glue to be fully set before you start wearing the clothes.
As you can see, this glue does everything right but is about average in performance. It is only really the best in terms of affordability and that’s the only reason to go with this glue instead of the top 3 models from E6000, Liquid Fusion, and Beacon.
Glue For Rhinestones To Fabric – Guide
Rhinestones are imitations of diamonds and can be made from crystal, glass, resin, or acrylic. There are also many different types of fabric like felt, linen, cotton, etc. Being it’s porous, it’s important to choose adhesives that perform well on both materials.
We will now go through the most important features and properties that you should pay attention to when buying glue for rhinestones to fabric.
Flexibility
First and foremost, you have to ensure that the glue you’re using is indeed flexible. It has to move and stretch with the fabric, or the bond will get brittle and fail.
This is where most people fail and wonder what went wrong. To have success gluing anything to fabric, the adhesive you are using has to be flexible.
If it’s not, you will be wasting your time and money.
Environmental Resistance
While they are also used for crafting and furniture decor, rhinestones are mostly used to embellish clothing. Since clothing will be washed, the glue we choose has to be waterproof and tolerant to high temperatures.
Urethane adhesives are the most reliable in this department as they are known as the kings of environmental resistance. They were developed for bonding in harsh and extreme conditions.
Hot glue gun and epoxy adhesives also work well and are mostly water and temperature-resistant once they cure.
Drying Color
Since we are using rhinestones on fabric for decoration, we always want a clear glue to work with.
Adhesives that aren’t transparent when dry can alter the color of the bond and the fabric you are using them on.
Always make sure that the glue dries completely and fully clear since some models claim to dry clear while they are actually not.
We recommend trying out a few drops of the glue beforehand so that you don’t ruin the fabric you intend to glue. You will then see if the adhesive is truly transparently clear or not.
- Drying Color: Clear
- Setting Time: 3-4 Hours
- Viscosity: Medium
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of glue do you use to glue rhinestones on fabric?
We recommend going for a flexible glue that is compatible and able to glue both fabric and rhinestones. The models we recommend are E6000 and Liquid Fusion since they are strong, flexible, and clear drying.
How do you keep rhinestones from falling off?
You can keep rhinestones from falling off by using the glue that is designed to bond them. If you’re gluing them to fabric, you must choose a flexible glue that will stretch with the fabric and not get brittle.
Wrap Up
That about wraps it up when it comes to the best glue for rhinestones on fabric.
The most important thing to remember is to go for glue that is waterproof, flexible, and clear drying.
All of the models we reviewed are like that and are excellent choices. You can’t go wrong with any of them!
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