Old Wine in New Bottles Sneakers
“There was an old woman
Who lived in a shoe
She had so many children
She didn’t know what to do”
–Mother Goose nursery rhyme
From all appearances, the brainstorm came from an upstart shoe manufacturer, not Tyvek manufacturer DuPont.
And at $8 million sales total since 2009, it’s hardly likely to be a meaningful sideline to DuPont (annual Tyvek sales: about $1.6 billion).
But, Tyvek has now leapt from being a mere housing construction material — in fact, a vapor barrier installed between a home’s frame and exterior sheathing — to, well, many other applications:
“If you’ve had your attic insulated in the past 30 years, attended a concert requiring a wristband for re-entry, or sent or received a package, you’ve probably used Tyvek. It has also been used in hazmat suits, banners, medical and industrial packaging, and covers for cars and boats. Now designers are fashioning shoes, bags and other accessories from it. “
—“No Canvas, No Leather: A Re-Boot for the Sneaker”; The NYT (Aug. 30, 2014).
Now, if they could just find some other use for Pergo . . . (I’m not a fan).
