Peva

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

I have seen this referenced on ebay for baby panties. Has anyone had experience with this material and what is it like in terms of texture, looks. etc?

Thank you

[Darkfinn]

PEVA? People Eating Various Animals?

[curiositykilledthecat]

I want to join that group. *looks to make sure Mia isn't watching*

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

PEVA? People Eating Various Animals?

Where's the beef?!

[PArms]

Primary education for voluptuous amazonians?

[PArms]

Pink Elephants of Virginia!

[DailyDi]

Haven't had any peva products come my way yet. So far it's mainly in baby products as parents are freaking out over the chemical off-gassing of some plastics.

[sarah_ab]

Primary education for voluptuous amazonians?

ahh yes my early education was spent here....

[Angela Bauer]

Prior to 1937 when people spoke or wrote about "rubber pants" they were talking about gum rubber. In some parts of the world people even wrote about gum pants.

Then in 1937 International Latex Corporation introduced their famous PlayTex Latex Baby Pants that were molded without seams and stretched in all directions. Eventually PlayTex latex pants were made in larger sizes and some styles has reinforced vent holes. Unfortunately by early 1942 all rubber products were considered essential war materials and PlayTex pants went out of production until early 1946.

Meanwhile during the war mothers who had to work had learned about the convenience of routinely covering cloth diapers with waterproof pants. Fortunately about then PVC was starting to be perfected. In some ways PVC was more appropriate for waterproof pants. All that stretch of latex was hardly necessary in baby pants. PVC is a whole lot easier to maintain. It outlasts latex and it is far less expensive to manufacture.

Since 1980 a lot of other sheet plastics and coatings have been proposed for waterproof pants. Rubber Duckie did their best to make a business based on a coated nylon fabric. Bummer eventually some batches of the fabric were faulty, such the coating came off in hunks, rendering the pants no longer waterproof. Trust me, that happened to me many times in 1991!

PUL is a fabric laminated to PE, the same poly plastic used in disposable outer layers, either by itself (poly plastic) or laminated with a non-woven plastic mesh to form "cloth-like"

For reasons not entirely clear, PE in heavier gauge never caught on as a replacement for PVC. That is surprising because PE can be welded at side seams as well as PVC.

Since 1942 PVC has extensively been tested for safety in many applications, including waterproof pants.

Why would any sane person assume that there is magic to PEVA? There are many kinds of plastic that are non-reactive on the human body. The difficult thing is making a flexible supple plastic without the use of plasticizers. Those are a family of chemicals noted for pungent odors. If PEVA is supple enough to work as waterproof pants, what is the plasticizer involved? What is the substantial difference from the plasticizers used in PVC sheet goods?

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

From what I hear, the C in PVC is supoosed to be unsafe and there is some talk about dioxin. But other sources say that the latter is an issue only if you burn the material.

What surprised me some 45 years ago is that polyethylene never replace PVC. in woaterproof clothes

My original question was about the look and feel of PEVA.

From what I understand PVC was invented in 1933 at Playtex as a substitute for rubber and was even stretchy

[Angela Bauer]

From what I hear, the C in PVC is supoosed to be unsafe and there is some talk about dioxin. But other sources say that the latter is an issue only if you burn the material.

What surprised me some 45 years ago is that polyethylene never replace PVC. in woaterproof clothes

My original question was about the look and feel of PEVA.

From what I understand PVC was invented in 1933 at Playtex as a substitute for rubber and was even stretchy

Sweet Christine,

The "C" in PVC stands for chloride. Considering how much chloride and chlorine are used daily, with reasonable caution they are safe. There is some dispute when and where PVC was first compounded. It is doubtful that International Latex Corporation was involved in PVC as early as 1933. PlayTex is a brand name belonging to ILC, but was not used as early as 1933. Prior to 1942 few practical uses had been found for PVC. It was in 1942 that a way to produce it as sheet fabric. It had previously been injection molded as a fairly rigid replacement for Bakelite.

PE, polyethylene, was first compounded about the same time as PVC. Again it took many years before it became practical. Originally PE was as rigid as Bakelite. Softer forms of PE did not come along until well after PVC as thin sheets were popular. What really turned PE into a top product was perfection of methods to make super thin sheets, the classic dry cleaners bags and similar products. As I posted previously there is no explanation why PE did not become practical for waterproof pants. My guess is that by the time PE could be made supple in any thickness, PVC had already taken the waterproof pants market. It also could be that sales of the ultra thin PE film cause the price of thicker PE sheets to be enough higher than PVC there was no business reason to give it a decent try for waterproof pants.

Sorry, but since so little information about PEVA is available, who can say what advantages it holds, or if it is safer than PE or PVC. The sad fact is when all known plastics are heated as in a fire, they produce hazardous gasses and fumes. Usually Teflon is considered a good plastic. For many years it was the electrical insulation of choice in high temperature situations. Then came several fatal fires involving equipment with Teflon insulated wires. Subsequent testing revealed the hazard of burning Teflon. Of course for generations asbestos was considered good and safe. Better things for better living through chemistry!

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

Thank you.

I can only add my observations here.

PE was used to make kites by 1957, replacing the paper and at about 1-1/2 the price retail. By 1960 it was being used to make window cpvers for what would be called "weatherizing" 20 years later and some of that got pretty thick and by 1956 many toy solder sets came in fairly thick PE bags. Also PE is more resistant to pull-tearing than PVC

By 1955, there were already two grades of PVC. one was smooth like Comco the other was grainy like the old DPF Baby Heavin or Lang/Edley Pahties. During the 1960's it used to be common for compaines to brag that their panties were boilable and could stand up to 200 washings. The g rainy has always been considered inferior and is less durable, but some persons wanted it because it felt more like cloth. What I have seen more of lately is the kind that is smooth on one side and grainy on the other

The thin material 3 mil and under did not come into use until the 1970's. The first I remember was used on Empire baby panties and called Wataseal in about 1971. It was a smooth but thin material and felt very insubstantial to me

I have even seen supple Badelite used in book covers in the middle 1970's. It felt like vinyl.

You have no idea of how confused people were about vinyl. It was called "rubber" or "rubber pants material" for the longes time and that is how I knew it until I was about 12 in 1957 when some folks startec alling it "plastic" and they are still called "rubber pants" so I guess that is not going to change. and baby panties was the reference for that material even in the early 1960's; "...it's like rubber pants" was used to describe anything made of PVC

Cellophane has been called "clear paper" for most of my life and I think that goes back to the 1920's

I got the reference to 1933 from a DPF link that was sort of the history of Playtex. It was so long ago that I do not haven it anymre. That could have teen a mistake and meant 1943 but I remember being surprised

Plastics Historical Society

[Darkfinn]

The PEVA over PVC debate is just more media sensationalism and fear mongering. Guess what, life is a sexually transmitted terminal disease.

Oh... and if you get a chance look under your sink... the pipes you get your drinking water from are *gasp* PVC!

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

The PEVA over PVC debate is just more media sensationalism and fear mongering. Guess what, life is a sexually transmitted terminal disease.

Oh... and if you get a chance look under your sink... the pipes you get your drinking water from are *gasp* PVC!

OMIGAWD!!!!! [goes into paroxym of terminal apoplectic shock]

[Bettypooh]

Oh... and if you get a chance look under your sink... the pipes you get your drinking water from are *gasp* PVC!

Not mine My pipes are copper, soldered with lead-based solder, totally safe....I think....um, what were we talking about? I can't remember....

Life is a fatal disease that nobody escapes from alive

Bettypooh

[PArms]

Copper has antimicrobial properties. It would be my choice if I ever get the choice. I would use solder that NOT lead based, though.

I'm gonna die of lead poisoning. I know it. It's in the fuel I use, the fishing lures and the electronic equipment I handled and soldered.

[Bettypooh]

Copper has antimicrobial properties. It would be my choice if I ever get the choice. I would use solder that NOT lead based, though.

I'm gonna die of lead poisoning. I know it. It's in the fuel I use, the fishing lures and the electronic equipment I handled and soldered.

Today's pipe solders are lead-free as are many electronic solders. And lead isn't used for casting fishing weights anymore ether I had a friend in that business who closed his doors because the new material cost too much Lead does accumulate in the body over time, but the EPA has gone overkill again Unless eaten or taken into the lungs as dust, lead hasn't been proven to be much of a health problem for the average person. Almost all paint has been very low lead since the 60's and almost no-lead since the 80's I was just kidding about my pipes being dangerous; lead soldered copper is safe once well flushed If it weren't we'd all be dead already since that was the standard for several decades. Personally I'm more worried about leached chemicals from plastics than lead unless we're talking about bullets headed in my direction

Bettypooh

[PArms]

Today's pipe solders are lead-free as are many electronic solders. And lead isn't used for casting fishing weights anymore ether I had a friend in that business who closed his doors because the new material cost too much Lead does accumulate in the body over time, but the EPA has gone overkill again Unless eaten or taken into the lungs as dust, lead hasn't been proven to be much of a health problem for the average person. Almost all paint has been very low lead since the 60's and almost no-lead since the 80's I was just kidding about my pipes being dangerous; lead soldered copper is safe once well flushed If it weren't we'd all be dead already since that was the standard for several decades. Personally I'm more worried about leached chemicals from plastics than lead unless we're talking about bullets headed in my direction

Bettypooh

Well, that's a relief. Hmm. I wonder what I'll die of now.

[monkeypee]

Well, that's a relief. Hmm. I wonder what I'll die of now.

hopefully not acute urinary retention. lol.

> I have even seen supple Badelite used in book covers in the middle 1970's. It felt like vinyl.

I think my only Bible is made of that stuff. Like vinyl, but seems to last longer?

Seriously, the crinkly crap they make waterproof pants from for kids these days seems to be absent from the adult market. what's up with that?

[packrat]

Wow, great thread. Thanks for the history of PVC Christine and Angela.

For the record, I once lived in a house with bonafide lead pipes. (Very old house); Our current house is new and I was the plumber. All copper, lead free solder. No PVC pluming except the waste lines; and the septic tank seems OK. I grew up in a house with asbestos plaster in the garage, fished with lead sinkers (which I crimped with my teeth), help a childhood friend make lead soldiers with a real lead melting toy and series of molds; played with liquid mercury, and used chlordane powder to kill ants for years. So far so good.

Now, I think I'll go outside and spray the leftover DDT on the tomato plants, put some lead based paint primer on my rusty truck fender, and smoke a Camel cigarette. Somehow the plastic in my pants seems inconsequential. Pray for me.

Rat.

[Bettypooh]

Well, that's a relief. Hmm. I wonder what I'll die of now.

We will all die from Life- it's a fatal incurable disease Wearing diapers can help ease the symptoms for some people

Bettypooh

[PArms]

Some people say that flying planes is too risky, but I reply that just being alive guarantees death.

[mommys-baby-pants]

I have seen this referenced on ebay for baby panties. Has anyone had experience with this material and what is it like in terms of texture, looks. etc?

Hi Christine, we have first hand experience with PEVA plastic panties. Specifically this is the same weight color and thickness as the Gerber PEVA panties. We have been testing them for months now and I think they are just fantastic. (of course I would) The material is a faintly translucent milky white color approximately 2 mils thick. This is roughly half the thickness of most of the Gary Manufacturing plastic pants. Even though it is thinner, early results from our testing is that they are stronger than the thicker PVC panties. They are very comfortable to wear with a flexible, soft, smooth surface. They have a very loud crinkle. It's impossible to move at all with out the crinkle. If you are familiar with the "Frosty Blue" PVC panties that are no longer available, these are louder and stay loud even with body heat warming them up. The sound is very reminiscent of the original plastic cover on disposable diapers from years ago.

PEVA is an acronym for polyethylene vinyl acetate. While still a vinyl PEVA is non chlorinated. Chlorine is the source of environmental health concerns with PVC, such as the generation of dioxin, a highly carcinogenic chemical produced in both the manufacture and disposal of PVC. Due to is persistent and bio accumulative nature dioxin has become a global problem (it travels long distances without breaking down and concentrates as it moves up the food chain to humans) dioxin has become a global problem and an international treaty

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

What does the material feel like; rubber, vinyl or polyethelene, I can tell the difference by touch

[messyman]

PVC is perfectly fine till it gets heated up and starts releasing cyanide.