The more we learn about the strange and secretive operations of the glitter industry, the more questions we have. Why do we have a glitter shortage, and why does the #1 consumer of glitter worldwide not want the public to know its identity? It’s become a favorite topic of conversation on TikTok and across the internet. If you’re not up to speed, here’s what we know about the glitter conspiracy theory so far.
Is the world running out of glitter as conspiracy theory claims?
There have been reports of glitter shortages, but the secretive and complex nature of the glitter industry makes it difficult to ascertain exactly what’s going on, and where all the glitter is going.
The New York Times first reported on the story back in 2018. Journalist Caity Weaver did an in-depth look behind the scenes of the industry, speaking with representatives from Glitterex, one of the world’s two glitter manufacturers. The company’s founder, Babu Shetty said the process of how glitter is made was hidden even to their clients.
The biggest consumer of glitter wants to remain anonymous
When speaking to a representative of Glitterex, Weaver asked which industry provided the company’s biggest market. The representative replied that she was not allowed to say who it was.
‘And you would never guess it. Let’s just leave it at that.’ She explained. And what was the reason for this secrecy? ‘Because they don’t want anyone to know that it’s glitter.’
When asked if one would know the product had glitter in it, she replied ‘No, not really.’
So, in other words, there’s an industry that uses a majority of the glitter produced by one of the world’s two glitter companies, that is taking great pains to ensure that no one knows their product uses glitter, and the product is not noticeable glitter-y. The more you investigate how this industry works, the fewer answers you seem to have.
Theories
One of the most popular reddit theories of what this mystery industry could be is the boat industry. Glitter is incorporated into the paint used on boats, some suggest, and the industry feels the need to distance themselves from glitter to preserve a traditionally masculine image.
But as TikTokker @maxedoutmommy points out, there are some holes in this theory. It’s no big secret that glitter is used in automotive paints. Plus, this glitter is highly visible. The Glitterex representative stated that you wouldn’t easily be able to tell there was glitter in the product. So it seems more likely that it’s something else. Here’s her full video:
Other top contenders are the toothpaste industry, the military, or perhaps most strangely, that the glitter is mixed in with sand at luxury beaches. But we may never know for sure which mystery industry is using all the glitter.
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