Brief Profile of Tyvek

Brief Profile of Tyvek

Tyvek is a 100% synthetic material made from high-density spunbonded polyethylene fibers. Though superficially similar to paper, Tyvek is actually a completely synthetic material. It was first developed by DuPont, and that company still owns the trade name. It was discovered in 1955, when  Jim White, a researcher for DuPont, noticed polyethylene fluff emerging from a pipe in an experimental lab. He instantly recognized the potential of the material, and went on to develop Tyvek for commercial purposes. Tyvek was first trademarked shortly afterwards, in 1965, and 1967 saw the first batches available for commercial use.

Tyvek material a nonwoven, synthetic substance. At a fundamental level, it is composed of spunbound olefin fibers. These tiny fibers are 0.5 – 10 µm in diameter, some 10 times smaller than a human hair. After production of the fibers themselves, they are spun and bonded together under great heat and pressure.

Working with Tyvek is relatively easy, because even though it offers great strength, it can be easily cut and folded. Further, once an incision is made the material naturally resists further tearing, meaning that even when slightly damaged Tyvek retains its integrity. These can be easily done using specialized Tyvek Printers .

Though it resembles paper, Tyvek is a plastic and cannot be recycled with paper. 

Features of Tyvek

Lightweight, durable and breathable, yet resistant to water, abrasion, bacterial penetration and aging, it can be glued, laminated, sewn, stapled and fixed etc.

Water-repellent

When the fibers in Tyvek are spun and bonded under high heat and pressure, Tyvek acts as a thermoplastic—returning to a high density, semi-solid state that prevents liquids from breaking the surface.

Breathability

Because no binders are used to hold Tyvek together, tiny perforations remain in which allow water vapor to permeate the material while preventing water and other liquids from entering, making Tyvek highly breathable.  

Barrier protection

Tyvek is made up of continuous fibers that provide inherent microbial penetration resistance—preventing hazardous materials including asbestos, mold, fiberglass and lead from passing through the material.  

Tensile strength

The nonwoven fibers of Tyvek are randomly laid and compressed to provide superior tear and puncture resistance for long-lasting, durable protection.

Recyclability 

Not only does Tyvek bring unique performance benefits to a variety of applications, it’s also 100% recyclable—giving products made with Tyvek a second life in products such as park benches and playground equipment.

Printability

Like paper, most traditional and digital printing techniques, including UV inkjet, latex and letterpress printing processes can be used on Tyvek. 

Tyvek is an amazing material,stronger than paper and more cost-effective and versatile than fabrics，used to improve a variety of applications across multiple industries.  

There are two different structures of Tyvek used in graphics and consumer goods applications:

paper-like hard structure used for HomeWrap envelopes and medical packaging applications, and fabric-like soft structure used for protective apparel and consumer applications. Today, Tyvek is being used as a trendy material for lifestyle consumer product design. Discover how the science behind Tyvek allows for superior performance across a range of applications.