DuPont has announced the kick off of its new Tyvek Forward Together effort, which it said will drive personal protective equipment (PPE) innovation and sustainability.
The company said “Innovation through collaboration” is the driving force behind the vision of the initiative, and that it will boost its partnerships with existing and new customers to propel that innovation and sustainability mission.
“The new Tyvek Forward Together vision promises to continue improving the flagship Tyvek nonwoven material to help enhance worker safety and well-being while helping to reduce the environmental impact of PPE. What sets Tyvek material apart from other fabrics is that it is manufactured using a single material, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), through a patented flash-spinning technology. This characteristic makes it easier to recycle garments made with Tyvek versus those made with multi-material fabrics, helping to reduce nonhazardous waste from disposable PPE.”
Tyvek nonwoven fabric, which was first introduced in 1967, has since been used in protective garments worn by workers to help keep them safe in hazardous environments and offered protection to frontline workers during emergencies.
Some of the latest Tyvek products and services demonstrate the success of the collaborative approach that Tyvek Forward Together aims to reinvigorate, DuPont said, such as DuPont Tyvek 500 HV (High Visibility), which was developed alongside customers working in dangerous or dark environments across a range of industries.
“Its bright fluorescent orange-color background material combined with silver-gray retroreflective material make the garment highly visible during the day and at night when exposed to a light source. More innovations of Tyvek garments are planned for release this year in North America,” the company said.
Another example of successful collaboration, it noted, is its recycling program allowing continental United States and Europe to recycle used Tyvek garments from non-hazardous job sites.
“Tyvek Forward Together embodies our ongoing commitment to being at the forefront of sustainability in PPE,” commented Dave Kee, global business leader, DuPont Personal Protection.
“Our collaborative mindset enables us to develop PPE technology that is invulnerable to impostors not because of how it’s made, but because it’s made with our customers in mind. We promise to continue innovating alongside them.”
Source: DuPont