DuPont and the Creation of Nylon

E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company—better known as DuPont—transformed the hosiery industry forever when they created nylon, the world's first truly synthetic fiber.

The Company

DuPont's Background

• Founded: 1802 as a gunpowder manufacturer
• Evolution: Expanded into chemicals
• Research focus: 1920s shift to polymer chemistry
• Philosophy: "Better things for better living through chemistry"

The Research

Pure Science Initiative

In 1927, DuPont made an unusual corporate decision: fund basic scientific research without immediate commercial goals. This led to their Experimental Station in Wilmington, Delaware.

Wallace Carothers

• Hired: 1928 from Harvard
• Goal: Understand polymer chemistry
• Approach: Academic-style research with corporate resources
• Team: Led a group of talented chemists

The Discovery

Early Breakthrough (1930)

Carothers' team created a fiber that could be drawn into long strands. However, this early polymer had a low melting point and dissolved in common solvents.

The Pivotal Moment (1935)

• Team member Gerard Berchet synthesized polymer 6-6
• High melting point—withstood hot water
• Strong when drawn into fibers
• Resistant to common solvents

Development

From Lab to Production

DuPont invested heavily to commercialize the discovery:

• $27 million: Development cost (enormous for the 1930s)
• 230 engineers: Worked on production challenges
• Years of work: 1935-1939 development period

Why Hosiery?

DuPont chose women's hosiery as nylon's first market:

• Huge existing market (silk stockings)
• Silk supply vulnerable (Japanese imports)
• High visibility consumer product
• Clear performance advantages

The Announcement

1938 World's Fair

DuPont unveiled nylon at the 1938 New York World's Fair. The presentation created enormous public excitement.

The Name "Nylon"

• Not an acronym (contrary to myths)
• DuPont invented the word
• Easy to pronounce in multiple languages
• Trademarked but became generic term

Market Launch

"N-Day" - May 15, 1940

• First nationwide sale of nylon stockings
• 72,000 pairs sold in 8 hours in New York alone
• 4 million pairs sold in 4 days nationally
• Consumer sensation

Production Scale

DuPont built massive production facilities:

• Seaford, Delaware plant
• Capacity grew rapidly through 1941
• WWII diverted all production to military use

Wallace Carothers

Tragic End

Carothers, who suffered from depression, died in 1937 at age 41—before seeing nylon's commercial success. He never knew the impact his invention would have.

Legacy

• Posthumous induction into National Inventors Hall of Fame
• His work founded modern polymer science
• Also invented neoprene rubber

DuPont's Nylon Legacy

Beyond Hosiery

After WWII, nylon expanded to countless applications:

• Clothing and textiles
• Carpeting
• Automotive parts
• Industrial applications

Continued Innovation

DuPont continued developing synthetic fibers:

• Lycra/Spandex (1959): Revolutionized stretch fabrics
• Kevlar (1965): Body armor applications
• Other polymers: Continued research