Once upon a time, a long time
ago, a team of Dupont thinktankers
pondered new uses for their
spun-bonded sheet plastic known as
Tyvek. Developed in the 1950s and
first used as a bottom covering to
hold the springs in furniture,
Tyvek's greatest success at that time
had been in envelopes,
especially for overnight couriers
like Federal Express. In its quest for
new markets, Dupont began to
explore other applications for
Tyvek. What else would it be good
for?
Why not use it to wrap houses?
Since, unlike other sheet materials
used in construction, Tyvek is permeable
to water vapor, it would
allow walls to "breathe" moisture
while controlling air leakage. The
idea seemed golden. And it was.
Tyvek brand housewrap dominated
the