Letterforms - A Washable Tyvek Writing Medium Inspired by Paper

What do you think the directions "Write. Wet. Wipe." are for? How about a whiteboard? A personalized, reusable tablecloth? Or maybe an arts and crafts mat for children? While a number of people might guess those items, they would all be wrong. "Write. Wet. Wipe." are the directions for letterforms®, "an environment friendly, reusable and washable sketching medium designed for use with

washable markers, crayons, and pens." This ingenious product is made from Tyvek® from DuPont™. Tyvek is being used in more and more diverse uses each day!

letterforms is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and "is committed to keeping as much of the sourcing, printing, and finishing in the US as possible." Currently, letterforms is running a Kickstarter Campaign to gain funding. This ground-breaking product allows users to sketch designs or write notes as they would on a regular piece of paper, but unlike regular paper, with just a single spray of water, letterforms becomes brand new again. Not only is this product great for babysitters, but it is ideal for students and professionals of all ages. For instance, with college finals right around the corner, this would make such a wonderful study aid, as well as a fantastic distraction. Because letterforms does not leave any "ghost effects" (the stubborn smears that are left on dry erase boards), it is the ideal medium for children to draw on, students to practice homework problems on, and for business professionals to plan meeting agendas on. The best part is that unlike other environmentally friendly solutions, letterforms is able to be used right out of the box, since it is compatible with washable writing utensils that are easily available. Not only does that mean letterforms is more cost effective than other reusable solutions, it also means it is safer, since there is no exposure to the chemicals used in dry-erase markers.

To pre-order a kit, please visit letterforms' website. Many thanks to letterforms' Venkat Yuvaraj for the product information and photos, used here with permission.

If you want to use Tyvek to create new products for commercial or personal use, you can purchase many styles of Tyvek® online. For further assistance and detailed Tyvek product information, please contact Material Concepts or call us at 215-338-6515. Material Concepts is an authorized DuPont™ Tyvek® master distributor.

Have a Tyvek project/idea that you would like to share and have featured on this Tyvek Innovative Uses blog? Just drop a line to web@materialconcepts.com and let us know what you are doing, and maybe we'll feature your Tyvek® product or DIY idea here in a future post!

DIY Tyvek Clutch

Photo Credit: Sini Makela/Design&Paper

Today's consumers want products that feature the latest and greatest trends, so designers are constantly working to create the next "it product." Sini Makela, editor for the blog Design&Paper, took on this challenge and designed a fantastic clutch that can not only be used to hold items like wallets and makeup, but it can also be used as an iPad holder. What makes Makela's clutch so unique and original is that she made it with Tyvek. Regarding her choice of working with Tyvek, Makela says that when it comes to choosing a material, her "latest love is the fantastic Tyvek. The material which is best described as something with a 'paper look and a fabric feel', is something I haven't come across before."

Photo Credit: Sini Makela/Design&Paper

In fact, she is so fond of working with the versatile Tyvek material that she says "since I got my hands on it, I haven’t let go!" Makela suggests painting the Tyvek® to add your own style to the clutch, and that for her design she "made some classic stripes...using Indian ink." She chose to work with Indian ink because it "dries very quickly and doesn't smudge" and recommends using it.

Photo Credit: Sini Makela/Design&Paper

If you are looking for a unique gift to give somebody this year, why not make it this fabulous clutch? As she describes, here's how Makela made this Tyvek clutch:

First I decided on the size: big enough to fit my stuff on a night out, but as I also wanted to use it as a cover for my iPad, I decided to give it a thick protective lining. So the cover is made of hand painted Tyvek and the lining is made of white recycled woven cotton which is thick enough to give the clutch a strong structure and also protect the valuables inside. When sowing a lining into a bag, make sure to sew the two pieces together the wrong way around and then turning it into an open end tube, so the stitching is inside the lining. Fold the tube into three folds which will form the clutch. Sow the sides and stitch and the open end close. For the most simple version, that’s it! You can always sow a zipper or other closing mechanism but I opted for the simple style.

Photo Credit: Sini Makela/Design&Paper

Not only does Makela make Tyvek clutches, but she also makes Tyvek® t-shirts! For information about her DIY t-shirt, check out her Design & Paper post.

If you want to use Tyvek to create fashion designs, you can purchase many styles of Tyvek® online. For further assistance, please contact Material Concepts or call us at 215-338-6515. Material Concepts is an authorized DuPont™ Tyvek® master distributor.

Cut Tyvek Art Installation by Seattle Artist Celeste Cooning

The Seattle Times recently published an article titled "Seattle Artist Celeste Cooning Creates Airy Works That Last" that discusses Cooning's magnificent installation art work.

Photo Credit: Celeste Cooning

A critical aspect to any art project, particularly installation artwork, is the medium that an artist chooses to use - and the medium that Cooning uses is no exception. She is known for creating cut-

Photo Credit: Julie Cooning

paper installations, and one of her most recent projects involved creating two 10-foot wide panels for a wedding. What sets her outstanding 10-foot wide panels apart from other backdrops is the
material - she selected Tyvek for this work.

Photo Credit: Claire Peckham

While creating two 10-foot wide cut Tyvek panels might sound like an arduous task to some, it is a smaller scale project for Cooning. Not only does she use Tyvek to create pieces for weddings, but the article says that "Cooning also creates pieces for storefronts, celebrations and city parks." As the article describes, her 2010 piece "Celebrations," an "installation at Occidental Park ... suspended 30 feet in the air and spanned 70 feet wide." Overall, "her work combines airy, elegant shapes with the toughness of Tyvek."

To see other works by Celeste Cooning, visit her website. All photos used with permission.

If you need Tyvek material for your own art project, Material Concepts supplies many varieties of Tyvek. Just contact us for more information or call 215-338-6515 or 1-800-372-3366 for information or to buy Tyvek.