Plastics, while not the most obvious or visible part of a costume's construction, are almost always present. Sheets of plastic are used to construct eyes, plastic rods serve as supports and struts, while molded plastics are formed into underskulls and accessories. The synthetic fur itself is made from plastic fibers.

Lots of different types of plastics are available at hardware and craft stores. More varieties are to be had at industrial supply stores and plastic outlets (e.g. Tap Plastics).

Plastic Rods

Plastic components can provide needed rigidity in a fursuit design; the traditional all-fabric construction may not be suitable to animals with wings, for example.

Suppose you are developing a bat costume. The long bony "fingers" of the wings will need some sort of structure in them in order to display the correct movement and in order to fully stretch the wings. In such a case, you could use plastic dowels sewn between layers of fur fabric to produce this effect. If you are clever about how you connect the rods to the wearer's fingers (customized gloves, for example), the performer will be able to fully puppeteer the wings.

Plastic dowels and hoops may also be used inside the body of the costume, in order to give a particular shape to it without excessive foam padding. This can be useful if the character has a lot of volume to its shape, but you don't want to lose all of your mobility (or cooling) because of foam.

Plastic Sheets

Clear and opaque plastic sheets are often used for making eyes on fursuits. For more about using plastic to make eyes, see the Vision page.

Plastic sheeting can also be useful for shaping. Internal supports can be made with strips of plastic sheet, pulled into an arch. The flat surface of plastic strips can support fabric without unsightly "brace lines" being visible.