The 75th Birthday of Nylon

On February 28, 1935, DuPont chemist Wallace Carothers created nylon, one of the most versatile and profitable materials ever invented. At first, the new polymer was plagued by bad press (the Washington News reported erroneously that nylon was made from dead bodies). But when DuPont's nylon stockings hit stores in 1940, they were an instant success, with sales totaling $9 million (about $135 mil-lion in 2009 dollars) in their first year. During World War II, DuPont switched production from hosiery to parachutes. When nylons went back on the market in 1945, demand was so high that riots broke out in some cities. Eventually, DuPont sold its textile division (to Koch Industries in 2004), but continues to use nylon in everything from car airbags to medical devices. -- EW

sun, february 28
STRETCH
The 75th Birthday of Nylon

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