Elmer's Disappearing Purple Glue Stick: Sizes & Uses

Elmer's Disappearing Purple glue stick drawn to scale at 104 mm (4.1 in) long, one uncapped with purple glue twisted up, beside a sheet where a glue swipe is purple when wet and clear when dry — The 0.77 oz stick at 4.1 in long; the glue goes on purple and dries clear (1 mm = 2.4 px).

Product facts

Product: Elmer's Disappearing Purple School Glue Sticks, 0.21 oz (6 g), 12 count (E1559)
Brand: Elmer's
Brand origin: United States
Made in: Thailand^*
Material: Washable, acid-free glue that goes on purple and dries clear
Price range: $under $5 per item

Notes on these facts

Made by Elmer's Products, Inc., a Newell Brands company. Made in Thailand: Newell Brands' own product record for the 12-count E1559 gives country of origin TH (Thailand); PartsSource and On Time Supplies listed China for the same item, and we use the maker's figure. Origin varies by item: Newell's record for the 22 g giant 3-count (2171981) gives CN (China), and the 6-count E1560 record doesn't state one. Check the pack you buy. Source. Price: example listing.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.

Key takeaways

Three stick sizes: 0.21 oz (6 g), 0.24 oz (7 g) and a jumbo 0.77 oz (22 g), sold singly and in packs of up to 30.
School Specialty lists the 0.77 oz stick at about 1.1 × 4.1 in (28 × 104 mm).
Listings call it washable, acid-free and photo safe, with the ACMI AP nontoxic seal and conformance to ASTM D-4236.
AS Insight's July 2026 estimates put Disappearing Purple packs first in Amazon's US glue sticks: about 40,000 a month for the 22 g 3-count and 30,000 each for the 6 g 12-count and 7 g 30-count.
Elmer's Products, based in Westerville, Ohio, has been part of Newell Brands since a 2015 deal.

What is Elmer’s Disappearing Purple glue stick?

It’s Elmer’s washable school glue stick with glue that goes on purple and dries clear. The color shows exactly where you’ve glued; once dry, the bond is clear.

It is the best-selling glue stick line on Amazon in the US. AS Insight’s July 2026 estimates rank a 22 g 3-count pack first in glue sticks at about 40,000 sales a month, with the 6 g 12-count and 7 g 30-count packs at about 30,000 each.

Elmer’s Disappearing Purple specs

Spec	Value
Maker	Elmer’s Products, Inc. (Newell Brands), Westerville, Ohio
Stick sizes	0.21 oz (6 g) · 0.24 oz (7 g) · 0.77 oz (22 g, jumbo)
Jumbo stick size	About 1.1 × 4.1 in (28 × 104 mm)
Common items	E1560 (0.21 oz, 6 count) · E1559 (0.21 oz, 12 count) · E543 (0.24 oz, 4 count) · E524 (0.77 oz, single)
Color	Goes on purple, dries clear
Claims	Washable, acid-free, photo safe, nontoxic (ACMI AP seal), conforms to ASTM D-4236
Price band	$ (under $5 per stick)
Made in	Thailand for the 12-count E1559; China for the giant 3-count (Newell Brands records)

Sizes, item numbers and origins come from Newell Brands’ product records and Staples. The jumbo stick’s size is from School Specialty and Christianbook. Elmer’s doesn’t publish dimensions for the smaller sticks in the sources we found.

Elmer's Disappearing Purple glue per stick as bars to scale: 6 g (0.21 oz), 7 g (0.24 oz) and 22 g (0.77 oz) for the jumbo stick, which measures about 4.1 × 1.1 in — The jumbo stick holds more than three times the glue of the 0.21 oz stick.

Why does it go on purple and dry clear?

The purple is a visual guide: you see where the glue is while it’s wet, and it fades as it dries. Elmer’s pitches it at children, who can see whether they’ve covered the whole area.

Elmer’s describes the result as clear when dry. It calls the glue a fast-drying formula but doesn’t publish a drying time.

Which size should you buy?

The 0.21 oz stick suits school-supply lists; the 0.77 oz jumbo lasts longer for crafts and classrooms. At 22 g, the jumbo holds over three times the glue of the 6 g stick.

The 0.21 oz sticks are sold in 2-, 6-, 8- and 12-packs, and AS Insight lists a 30-count pack of 7 g sticks. Check the count against your school list, since retailers sell the same item number in different packs.

Is it safe and washable?

Elmer’s sells it as washable and nontoxic. Retailer listings carry the ACMI AP seal, the art-materials safety mark, and conformance to ASTM D-4236, the US labeling standard for art materials.

Listings say it washes off hands and out of clothes. They also call it acid-free and photo safe, which matters for scrapbooks and photos.

How do you use it?

Pull off the cap with a twisting motion, twist up a little glue and swipe it on the paper. The packaging says to replace the cap tightly after use to keep the glue from drying out.

For cutting shapes first, see our guide to Fiskars orange-handled scissors; for a quick paper repair you can write over, use Scotch Magic Tape instead. For dry glue with no wait and no wrinkling, card makers often use a tape runner such as the Tombow MONO Adhesive Permanent or the KOKUYO Dot Liner, which lays its glue in dots.

Where are Elmer’s glue sticks made?

It depends on the pack: Newell Brands’ product records give Thailand for the 12-count 6 g E1559 and China for the 22 g giant 3-count. PartsSource and On Time Supplies listed China for the E1559, but we use the maker’s record; the 6-count E1560 record names no country.

Elmer’s Products is based in Westerville, Ohio. Its glue began at Borden in 1947, and Newell Rubbermaid, now Newell Brands, agreed to buy the company in a deal announced on October 5, 2015. Newell also owns Sharpie.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Elmer's glue stick purple?

The purple shows where you've put glue, so you don't miss spots or use too much. It fades as the glue dries, leaving a clear bond.

Does Disappearing Purple glue stain clothes?

Elmer's sells it as washable, and listings say it washes off hands and out of clothes. We haven't tested it on fabric ourselves yet.

How long does Elmer's purple glue take to turn clear?

Elmer's doesn't publish a drying time. Its product content calls it a fast-drying formula that dries rapidly; we haven't timed it yet.

What sizes do Elmer's Disappearing Purple glue sticks come in?

0.21 oz (6 g), 0.24 oz (7 g) and a jumbo 0.77 oz (22 g). The jumbo stick is about 4.1 in long and 1.1 in across.

Is Elmer's Disappearing Purple glue stick acid-free and photo safe?

Yes. Elmer's product content lists it as acid-free, photo safe, non-toxic and washable. Retailers also show the AP seal and ASTM D-4236 conformance.

Why did my glue stick dry out?

The packaging tells you to replace the cap tightly after use so the glue doesn't dry out. Twist the glue back down before capping.

Where are Elmer's glue sticks made?

It depends on the pack. Newell Brands' product records give Thailand for the 12-count 6 g E1559 and China for the 22 g giant 3-count. Elmer's itself is an American brand based in Westerville, Ohio, owned by Newell Brands.

Sources (15)

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