by Andrew Holbrook
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31 March 2025
With almost 60 years in the industry, lightweight and durable, Tyvek® is breathable, yet resistant to water, abrasion, bacterial penetration and aging, making it ideal for a wide variety of applications across diverse industries. DuPont is a global leader with Tyvek® protective garments providing superior protection for workers in industrial and cleanroom applications and for first responders. Companies around the world use more than 200 million Tyvek® garments per year. Tyvek® garments have been used to support emergency response efforts across the globe, making it the perfect partner for protection in critical conditions. Beyond protecting homes and workers, Tyvek® also is widely used to help protect patients in healthcare settings. Since its introduction to the medical device industry more than 45 years ago, Tyvek® has been recognized as a standard of excellence for sterile device packaging. Tyvek® earned this distinction because it provides excellent microbial barrier, strength and protection for medical devices and pharmaceutical applications. DuPont Tyvek® has been on quite the journey since it's discovery, see more about how it has evolved over time. 1955: The history of Tyvek® began in 1955 when DuPont researcher Jim White made a chance discovery of a new fiber source. A program to develop the new material was set up and a year later DuPont submitted a patent proposal for strong yarn linear polyethylene. 1967: DuPont opens its first production line in Virginia, USA. New revolutionary applications include medical packaging and protective garments. 1988: DuPont opens its second Tyvek ® production line in Luxembourg. The facility is certified to ISO 14001 in 2004, and ISO 9001 in 2008. 2005: Tyvek ® is the first manufacturer to claim CE marking for its entire product range. Tyvek® products have earned numerous awards for innovation and performance from organisations in all regions of the world. Most recently: • Tychem® 6000, a protective apparel garment that provides triple hazard protection from chemicals, flash fire and electric arc, received the 2016 Innovation Award at the Fair Préventica in Lille, France. • Tyvek® 800J, a protective apparel garment that combines resistance to low-concentration, water-based, inorganic chemicals with the durability of Tyvek®, received the 2014 Innovation Award at the Fair Préventica in Marseille, France. Whether it’s keeping homes comfortable, protecting workers from on-the-job hazards, enabling a safe response to epidemics, or countless other applications—the unique attributes of DuPont ™ Tyvek ® bring comfort, protection and the gift of life to millions each day. Tyvek ® personal protection equipment delivers performance that meets or exceeds industry standards for protection against a range of chemical threats and hazards.