Neoprene has been around since the 1930s, but it wasn't until the 1950s that it was used to make wetsuits. Developments in the way neoprene is made and the materials it's made from mean that wetsuits today are very different. Different brands use different types of neoprene, which greatly affects the warmth and performance of a wetsuit.

What is Neoprene?

In short, Neoprene is made through a chemical reaction using Neoprene. It is the Chloroprene that binds all the molecules of this reaction together, leaving us with Polychloroprene chips. These chips are melted and mixed with a foaming agent and carbon pigment, then baked in an oven to expand them. The end result is then sliced like bread, leaving smooth sheets of Neoprene. Nylon fabric can then be laminated to the Neoprene to give it strength.

Neoprene: A Brief History

During the 1920s the increasing demand for natural rubber led to higher and higher prices, sparking a search for an equivalent synthetic rubber. It was during 1930 that a chemist in DuPont's fundamental research group created neoprene. Experiments by a number of people in the early 1950s helped make neoprene the number one material for wetsuits (although other materials were used, especially in Europe). But at that time neoprene was weak, tore easily and was hard to put on. The lamination of fabric to neoprene in the 1960s resolved this problem and led to the modern wetsuits we use today.

The 1960s also saw a new type of neoprene pioneered by Japan's Yamamoto Corporation. Instead of traditional oil-based neoprene, Yamamoto developed special technology to convert the calcium carbonate from limestone into chloroprene rubber chips, producing limestone neoprene.

Is Neoprene Environmentally Friendly?

Neoprene is not fully environmentally friendly, but there are key differences between oil-based and limestone-based neoprene. Limestone neoprene, like Yamamoto, is considered more eco-friendly due to its use of less toxic resources and longer lifespan. However, while it's a better option than petrochemical neoprene, wetsuits and their production are still far from truly sustainable.

At the end, if you want to buy some neoprene, please feel free to contact us.