What is neoprene anyway?
History of Neoprene
The father of the wetsuit is Julius Arthur Nieuwland, who in the 1920s, together with Wallace Hume Carothers from the major American company Du Pont, researched a special material that would change many industries - whether in chemistry, automobile manufacturing or the production of sportswear. In 1932 Du Pont brought the new fabric onto the market under the name Dupren, then in 1938 as the neoprene known today. It was the first form of the polymer, which continued to develop over the next few years. Today, neoprene can be used at temperatures between -45 and about 100 degrees Celsius; for a short time it can even withstand temperatures of up to 130 degrees Celsius. This makes neoprene an interesting product for many areas of industry. Today it is used for the manufacture of hoses, among other things, and electrical cables are also sheathed in neoprene. And, of course, neoprene has long since become a permanent fixture in sport. For neoprene suits, the original fabric is treated with chemical blowing agents to produce a foamed vulcanizate that has excellent insulation. And it is exactly this wonderful quality that you can take advantage of when diving or surfing today. The well-known sportswear manufacturer O´Neill first used the wondrous fabric in the 1950s to produce innovative wetsuits that sold like hot cakes off the company's California coast. The new wetsuits made of neoprene quickly conquered the water sports scene and met with enthusiasm all over the world. Until then, suits for divers and other water sports enthusiasts had been made of leather, sometimes even metal, and therefore not very elastic. Now finally surfers and sailors could protect themselves from the weather and the water temperatures without losing comfort and mobility. To this day, the great brands' inventors are constantly working on improvements to further perfect your sailing experience or deep diving adventure. The goal is the perfect wetsuit, and for over 60 years the manufacturers have been getting closer and closer to it.
Optimum care for maximum service life
For all neoprene products, good care can noticeably extend their service life. To do this, you should regularly apply cream to your materials, using herbal products if possible, because creams containing petroleum can damage your suit. Piss Off", a cleaner from Rip Curl, for example, can be used well, but there are also plenty of other special cleaners that keep your clothes perfectly clean without attacking their fabric. It also makes sense to store your neoprene clothing in sun-protected rooms because of its susceptibility to UV radiation, in order to prevent it from becoming brittle. But if there should be any minor damage, this is no reason to throw the suit in the trash. You can repair cracks and even small holes yourself with neoprene glue, larger damage should be left to the professional.
Best quality for your suit
As far as the quality of materials is concerned, neoprene clothing is better today than ever before. The manufacturers have developed into real high-tech producers and rely on an optimal mixture of flexibility, comfort and functionality. The modern E4 Flah-Lining not only ensures a comfortable feeling on the skin, it also ensures that your suit dries quickly when you hang it on the water after the adventure.