In Depth

Development of Orlon® was difficult, but finding a market was equally problematic. DuPont initially offered it as a filament yarn, but sales were disappointing until Orlon® staple, a bulky yarn composed of short fibers, was introduced. By the mid-1950s a boom in women’s sweaters was underway and Orlon® was there to meet the demand. By 1960 sales reached 1 million pounds a year, and Orlon® had become a 19-year-old overnight sensation. During the 1960s, DuPont developed new varieties of Orlon® to meet specific needs in combination fabrics, blankets and carpet fibers. These efforts, coupled with expansion into European markets, kept demand high until the late 1970s, when European production was discontinued. DuPont continued to offer Orlon® acrylic carpet fibers until 1990.