The Best Rhinestone Glue For Elastic Fabrics

Are you looking for the best rhinestone glue—the one that could potentially stick forever onto elastic fabrics or clothes? Well, same! 😅

I’ve spent over a decade mastering the art of bedazzling fabric, and now I’m putting Hotfix, E6000, and Gem-Tac to the ultimate test—yep, washer included.

By the end of this post, you’ll know which glue can survive the spin cycle 🫣 and everything you need to get the most professional blinging results! 😍

Option #1 – The Hotfix Method

So, first up: the Hotfix method—my OG go-to when I started bedazzling bikinis back in 2014. It’s all about special rhinestones with glue already on the back that you heat up and stick on. 🪄

Super clean, professional results, and honestly, it feels like magic when you get it right.

So let’s break down what you’ll need to make it work:

Hotfix Rhinestones

Hotfix rhinestones are a bit pricier than regular flatback rhinestones (the ones without glue), but nothing too dramatic. You can get 144 pieces (1 gross) to try them out or go for the whole 10-gross package to get a lil’ discount.

There’s a bunch of different brands, and I believe the quality of the glue depends a lot on that.

Swarovski was my go-to brand until they stopped making them, and then I switched to Preciosa (top-tier stuff! 🤌🏼✨)

If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly alternative, AliExpress has several other options, but this brand name in particular has jumped out in a few Reddit threads I’ve been eyeing 👀

Hotfix Applicator

To use those hotfix rhinestones, you need a lil’ wand like these to heat them up, activating the glue so it’s ready to stick to your elastic fabrics.

If you want quick delivery and the whole shebang (inexpensive rhinestones included), you can grab a kit like this on Amazon.

And, if you’ve got a bit more time (and patience 😅) to wait for the package, AliExpress has a pretty similar setup for a fraction of the price.

Rhinestone Trays

You’ll also need somewhere to place the crystals while working with them. Some sets, like the one from AliExpress, already come with trays, but if you’re looking for cuter yet still practical alternatives, check these out:

Other Ways to Heat the Rhinestones.

The hotfix wand applicator isn’t the only way you can activate the glue on those lil’ rhinestones.

I may be a bit of a control freak 🤣 and want to make sure where each of these rhinestones sticks, one by one 😅 but if you don’t have that problem, I’m sure the following might offer a faster way to tackle the hotfix method.

You can try a mini iron to apply more than one rhinestone at a time or even upgrade to a pro setup with a heat press that could also double for T-shirt printing.

Option #2 Glue E6000

Next up is E6000—the one I turned to when I needed to speed things up after years of hotfix tinkering. 😬 It did help a lot to finish full bling suits faster, and back then, I didn’t worry much about chemical fumes or warning labels 🫣 (more on that later).

So if you prefer a heatless alternative that won’t require an electric outlet, here’s what you’ll need:

The Glue

Syringe and Tips

These are my go-to for extra precision. Although some glues already include precision tips, I prefer slightly narrower ones like these (16 Ga x 1/2″) , and a syringe is easier to handle than the whole tube of glue.

Rhinestone Picking Tool

To pick up those rhinestones with ease, a lil’ pen with a wax tip on one side and a stainless steel one on the other is your BFF.

If budget’s not a worry, the Crystal Katana is a total legend—super lightweight, and mine even with a blunt tip (after years of me beating it up), still works like a charm.

But if you just want something cheap that gets the job done, a no-name brand will do the trick!

Option #3 Gem-Tac

For the last option, the tools are exactly the same as with the E6000 glue—the only thing that changes is the glue! 😬 Which I found when I was looking for a non-toxic alternative with good reviews.

There are a few things I like and dislike about each option, but rather than tell you, I prefer to show you…

See them in action

Alright, here’s the fun part! 🥳

I’ve put together a step-by-step video showing exactly how these 3 methods—Hotfix, E6000, and Gem Tac—work their magic on fabric.

Plus, you’ll get to see my lil’ experiment where I toss them into the washing machine (yep, I went there 😅) to find out which one holds on better.

Check it out below and let me know what you think!

Bonus: Fabri-Fuse (A Reddit Recommendation)

Someone on Reddit swore by this stuff as a non-so-toxic alternative from the same folks who make E6000, and I’m dying to see if it’s as good as they say.

Want to check it out for yourself? You can grab it here and let me know if I should test it next! 🧐

Final Thoughts

So, which one’s your winner? Because it’s not just about hold—time, ease of application, and even sneaky health risks matter too. (Including the danger of burns 🔥 from the hotfix wand… which I totally forgot to mention in the video! 😅)

After this experiment, I’m realizing I might need to ditch my control-freak, one-by-one rhinestone method 🫣 and try a mini iron with Hotfix next.

What do you think? Drop your take below—I’m all ears!