look what we did!Innovations From Polyurethane Manufacturers

Polyurethane Helps Cyclists Hit the Open Road This Summer

If you’re like many Americans, the call of the open road may be beckoning you to saddle up and head out on your bicycle this summer. As you get ready to strap on a helmet and embark on your next cycling adventure, consider this roundup of ways polyurethane is helping to make your ride safer and more comfortable.

Cycling Shorts

Polyurethane’s lightweight, breathable components make it the perfect material for sweat-resistant apparel. Thanks to its stretchiness, the fabric stays in place, moving with the cyclist, even through the most arduous ride. Polyurethane is also durable, standing up to reptitive motion...

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Polyurethane Helps You Feel the Burn — Even at Home

Does warmer weather have you thinking about getting into shape? You don’t necessarily need a gym membership to get that perfect summer bod. Thanks to exercise equipment made with polyurethane there are a number of creative ways to feel the burn from the comfort of your home. When it comes to fighting the flab, these workout products made with polyurethane play a pivotal role in helping you get in shape:

Foam Rollers

Do you have a knot in your muscle? Roll it out. Foam rollers are a a great way to stretch and soothe aching muscles. You can use a...

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Polyurethane in the Fight Against the Coronavirus

The novel coronavirus has required an “all hands on deck” approach from both the public and private sector when it comes to fighting the spread of the disease and safeguarding citizens. The polyurethane industry has been no exception. Here are just a few of the ways polyurethane manufacturers from around the U.S. are contributing to the effort.

Mattress Manufacturers

Foam mattresses made with polyurethane account for a large and growing percentage of the mattress market. With the spread of the novel coronavirus, hospitals at or near capacity have been clamoring for badly needed supplies. To meet the need and growing...

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Polyurethane Is Hitting the Mat with Cheerleaders

Thanks to the recent popularity of a streaming docuseries, there is now an even more fervent interest in the sport of cheerleading. While it may not be at the front and center of cheer routines or at pep rallies, polyurethane is behind the scenes doing its part to help cheerleaders be safer. At the amateur, high school and college levels, polyurethane has become a familiar fixture at practices and competitions.

Mats

Often, a mat is the only thing that separates these high-flying and tumbling athletes from the hard ground. Today, many gym mats used in cheerleading are made using polyurethane....

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Polyurethane Gear Keeps You Warm This Winter

Whether you’re planning to carve up the slopes on a hardcore ski weekend getaway or just taking the dog for her morning constitutional, it’s cold out there. Luckily, polyurethane is here to do its part to keep you warm. No matter your level of aerobic activity or how long you plan to stay outdoors, there is some polyurethane winter wear or gear that is sure to be right for you.

Gloves

While providing protection against water and wind, polyurethane gloves also provide improved dexterity, grip and comfort for the wearer. Plus, gloves can be manufactured to be seamless, helping to...

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The Polyurethane Story Behind Wisconsin’s Famed Foam Cheeseheads®

In 1987, Ralph Bruno hacked into the upholstery of his mother’s couch cushion. From the torn fabric, he pulled out the foam insert, sculpting it using a turkey carving knife into the shape of a triangular cheese wedge. He then added an inverted dome on the bottom of his creation so that it would fit atop his head. Later, he put holes in the foam to make the wedge vaguely resemble Swiss cheese and painted the entire thing a yellow-orange hue — like American cheese. 

The Reception

Bruno proudly wore his homemade headwear to a Milwaukee baseball game in response...

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In Hollywood, It’s Lights, Camera, Polyurethane!

In response to a demand from audiences for objects and scenery that look real, today prop houses, set designers and costumers are busier than they have been in years. Polyurethane is helping these creative artisans achieve the kind of authenticity on the big screen that movie-going audiences both desire and demand.

A CGI Backlash

For the past few decades, Hollywood has been experiencing a renaissance driven by computer-generated imagery (CGI). As the years have progressed, the technology has grown more and more advanced. Through CGI, it’s now possible to create huge cityscapes, entire worlds and — of course — all...

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2019 Polyurethane Innovation Award Honors Carbon’s New Football Helmet Technology

Polyurethane was first introduced in the 1930s. Since that time, it has gone on to impact and improve daily life for much of the world. Today, the bounds of polyurethane innovation continue to be pushed ever forward, thanks to the men and women working to bring the world the next big polyurethane scientific breakthrough.

The Polyurethane Innovation Award 

Each year, the Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) hosts the Polyurethane Innovation Award. The award highlights the role innovation plays in the polyurethane industry, recognizing the companies and individuals whose vision and perseverance help bring new products, technologies and initiatives to...

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Polyurethane Helps Make It a Spooktacular Halloween

In the race to have the spookiest house on the block, homeowners are deploying polyurethane-based decorations in their front yards. From jack-o-lanterns to witches to monsters of all kinds, polyurethane is showing up in all manner of Halloween home décor.

Decoration Spending Is Up

According to the National Retail Federation, Americans spent more than $9 billion in 2018 on Halloween. Of that amount, decorations was one of the largest spending categories, outpacing even candy sales.

This may be because in the spirit of one-upmanship, homeowners are turning to ever more elaborate decorations. Buyers in the market want home décor that...

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