DuPont is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Tyvek, the nonwoven material most commonly used in construction.
In addition to its HomeWrap for construction, Tyvek also is used in protective garments for workers in industrial and cleanroom applications and for first responders. Garments have been used to support emergency response efforts across the globe, including the U.S. Deepwater Horizon oil spill cleanup, the Japan 2011 tsunami cleanup and Fukushima and in West Africa in addressing the Ebola crisis.
“We are proud of the role Tyvek has played during the past 50 years in making a world of greater good possible,” said Christian Marx, global business director for DuPont Tyvek in a statement.
Jim White, a DuPont researcher, discovered the Tyvek fiber in 1955, according to the company.
It wasn’t until 1965, after years of development, that the product was registered under the trademark name Tyvek. Two years later DuPont began commercial production.
Additional applications for Tyvek include industrial packaging, active packaging and other specialty applications, cargo covers for pharmaceuticals and perishables, envelopes used by the U.S. Postal Service and graphics as a substrate for tags, labels, banners, wristbands, maps and the creation of works of art and consumer products.
First roll of Tyvek produced on the commercial line on April 5, 1967 at the Spruance plant, Richmond Va.