Using Tyvek as a Car Cover

Many customers are using our UV Soft Tyvek as a car cover.
This item: 120" X 10 YARD TYVEK 1460 is particularly popular for such uses and is big enough for most cars with material to spare just in case. Let us know how it works for you - send us your photos of your car using our Tyvek as a car cover. Email to web@materialconcepts.com.

Colored Tyvek, Coloring Tyvek with Acrylic Ink

A recent post on the Chewing with the Paper Chipmunk blog described coloring some Tyvek to make some miniature books. Paper Chipmunk says:


"My favorite way of decorating Tyvek is to use a foam cosmetic sponge dipped in acrylic ink. I then evenly smooth the color over the Tyvek, rubbing it in with the foam sponge. ...

Rubbing an even layer of the ink into the Tyvek brings out the patterns of its non-woven fibers. And one of the nicest things about acrylic ink is that it doesn't leave any discernible texture or tackiness--perfect for book pages. It just soaks into the Tyvek."

Check out the photos of the colored Tyvek and the miniature book made with the blue colored Tyvek. (Click photos to enlarge for detail.) Nice work Paper Chipmunk!

Many thanks to the Paper Chipmunk, info and photos used with permission.

Tyvek Ceiling - a User Sends a New Innovative Use for Tyvek

Zach Nagle from Czarnowski Display Service in Chicago emailed recently to describe a new innovative use for Tyvek - a Tyvek ceiling. In Zach’s words:

The problem: We have a dusty sample room, and wanted to add a new roof to repel dust, yet breathe air, and let more light in, and it had to be affordable, presentable and easy to install.

Solution: Make a ceiling out of wood frames and hard paper Tyvek!

The Tyvek looks great, and any imperfections in the tension/stretch are hidden by the fiber texture appearance of the material. It is lightweight and durable, and we think it looks great.

As seen in the photos, the translucent property of Tyvek allows light to come through, and the random swirl pattern of the nonwoven material adds to the attractiveness of the ceiling. And of course it does fit all the requirements stated here as Tyvek keeps out dust, is breathable, lets in light, is affordable, presentable and easy to install.

Thanks to Zach at Czarnowski Display Service for sending the photos and the Tyvek ceiling story.

If you would like to do something similar, Material Concepts would be happy to supply the Tyvek for your application. Click here for more information on hard Tyvek, also commonly called Tyvek paper. You can purchase Tyvek online or contact us for Tyvek product information or to place an order.

Tyvek ground sheets for camping and hiking

A recent discussion on an online Appalachian Trail Hiking forum talked about using Tyvek ground sheets as tent ground cloths. The first post said that they found their Tyvek ground cloth used under their tent was slippery. Some replies suggested washing the Tyvek ground sheet, and cautioned against drying it in a hot dryer - good advice! Others suggested tying the ground sheet to the tent poles, and one reply may have even been reading our website’s Tyvek Ground Sheet page, saying "they recommend bunching the corner and using a sheet bend to tie a line to it."

As described on our Tyvek Ground Cloth page, there are two types of 8’ x 10’ Tyvek ground sheets that Material Concepts offers - Hard and Soft. Ultralite OmnicovR® is the Material Concepts’ brand name for ground sheets. The Hard Tyvek Ultralite OmnicovR® is a little less expensive and people to run it through their washing machines to soften it. The Soft Tyvek Ultralite OmnicovR® is a little more expensive and is a little more compact, which can be a critical factor for backpackers.

Of course, Tyvek’s properties - water resistance, toughness, tear resistance and lightweight - make it a good choice for use as a ground cloth. This also makes it a good tarp or rain fly too. And it’s washable. Yes, Tyvek is slippery (especially when wet) and should not be walked on.

As far as tying Tyvek, we recommend:
When attaching a rope or cord to the corner of the Ultralite OmnicovR®, use a sheet-bend knot to achieve the strongest tie downs. Never use traditional grommets; instead, use fabric clips, spring clamps, or tarp and fabric fasteners.
See the illustration on how to do a sheet bend knot.

You can purchase the Hard or Soft Tyvek Ultralite OmnicovR® ground cloth from our online store.

Let us know by commenting below on how you are using Tyvek in your hiking and camping activities.

Tyvek Design Photos from MIO

Recently this Tyvek Innovative Uses blog feature the work of Philadelphia design firm MIO. Thanks to the folks at MIO for allowing us to use photos of their products made with Tyvek on our blog.

The first photo is MIO's Loop By the Yard MoireDot Pattern. Loop By the Yard is Tyvek that can be used for many projects and is available in the 3 colors/patterns shown in this photo: orange-red, green-grey, and pink-purple.


The second photo illustrates one of the MIO products made with the Loop By the Yard Tyvek material. This is just one of many and varied innovative uses for this Tyvek material.



The third photo illustrates the MIO product called the In + Out Bag. This bag is also made with Tyvek and is available in two sizes and the 3 color combinations.

All photos provided by MIO and used with permission.

Fashionable Tyvek material for DIY projects from MIO

MIO is a Philadelphia design firm specializing in green design for products like wallpaper, lighting, seating, tables, shelving and accessories. Among the accessories is a line of printed Tyvek® material called Loop by the Yard for use in decorating, covering, or making anything that would be nicely done with a printed material with the qualities that Tyvek® brings - strong, lightweight, breathable and water resistant. Also available is a line of bags called In + Out Bags in the same print patterns as the Loop by the Yard Tyvek® material.

The green element is that MIO offers a postage pre-paid envelope to recycle the Tyvek® material when the purchaser is done with it, or scraps from the project work.

MIO offers downloadable instructions on various do-it-yourself (DIY) projects that can be done with Tyvek®, including:

• Table coverings
• Book covers
• Pillows
• Pouches
• Curtains
• Ponchos
• Kites
• Tents
• And an Ideas sheet with more suggestions

The material is offered in 3 patterned colors: green-grey, orange-red, and pink-purple.

Here is an interesting article about MIO and their products.

Tyvek Projector Screen / Tyvek Projection Screen

A recent post on the How-To / DIY (do it yourself) site Instructables described how to make projector screen out of Tyvek® along with "a PVC pipe, rope, and plumbing pipe."

They described using a piece of Tyvek® HomeWrap®, which has the printed logo on it. The use one pole on the top and one pole on the bottom and secure the Tyvek® to the poles. The instructions descibe that the logo might pose a problem for rear projection, but that it didn't affect front projection. One comment expressed concern that the logo might show through, but others said it did not with front projection.

Material Concepts has supplied Tyvek® to some customers who have made projection screens from Tyvek®. And it's a pretty good idea too, considering the low weight and high strength of Tyvek® along with its bright white appearance. Our 120" wide Tyvek® 1460 is commonly purchased for this use.

Although this product comes folded and boxed, the Tyvek® 1460 behaves more like nylon fabric, so you can stuff it in a sack or fold it for storage, making it more compact and versatile. No need to store the Tyvek® on a long pole or worry about wrinkling it like you would with Tyvek® HomeWrap®. When unfolding Tyvek® 1460 to use as a movie screen, simply open it up, pull it taut on all sides to diminish the wrinkles, and it's ready. Or if you use the Instructables method, with a pole on the bottom, the weight of the pole will help flatten it.

Of course, it you prefer no wrinkles at all, you can purchase Tyvek® 1460 on the roll, or even a roll of the more paper-like hard Tyvek®. Of course, Tyvek® rolls from Material Concepts do not have the Dupont™ Tyvek® HomeWrap® printed logo, which is great for both front and rear projection.

Tyvek Wallets

I came across a website selling Tyvek wallets.

We purchased one of each style and they're extremely well done. There are about 12 designs and the wallets are not just attractive - they're quite functional. Check them out!

Called the Mighty Wallet, these are made of DuPont Tyvek and are an excellent example of the amazing graphics that can be achieved on Tyvek.