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Stores can't seem to keep Elmer's glue on shelves. Here's why

Slime fad is back, and it's boosting demand for glue
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Slime fad is back, and it's boosting demand for glue

The next time your kid asks you to buy a bottle of glue, you may have a hard time finding one.

An old craze has returned among tweens across the country: Slime.

Created using a combination of glue, water, sodium tetraborate and food coloring, slime isn't a new craft for kids, but it's gaining steam. Thanks to social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, new recipes and images of brightly-colored and glittery slime have flooded the internet.

The trend boosted sales of Elmer's glue in the second half of 2016 and more than doubled sales in December, according Newell Brands. A spokeswoman for Elmer's said that the company is increasing production of its glue products to meet the demand, and is exploring its own slime recipes to "make slime even more fun and worry-free."

Given the trend's momentum, it wouldn't be all that surprising if the company developed its own slime kits or branded content in the future.

Demand for glue has risen so much that many stores are sold out of the product altogether.

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Several New Jersey craft stores told CNBC that they have experienced a spike in demand for crafting glue, but many said they had enough inventory.

"We have an abundance of the white stuff," an A.C. Moore employee told CNBC.

However, stores that don't specialize in crafts, but carry crafting products, may be having a harder time keeping glue in stock.

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