Tyvek Fabric

Beth sent me a link to the NYT article about a completely-recyclable Tyvek fabric being offered by Mio CultureLab. How is it completely recyclable? They even send you a prepaid return envelope with your order so that you can send back your scraps (or even your whole project, if you don't want it anymore)! That's pretty cool.

It's $13/yard, which is a bit pricey in my budget, but cheap for home dec fabric. And -- Tyvek! I've always wanted to sew with Tyvek. (If you don't know what Tyvek feels like, think about those FedEx envelopes -- the big ones. That's Tyvek. A little slippery, a little papery.)

If anyone from Mio wants to spot me four yards I promise to make a big dress and write about it. I like the orange dots. :-)

Comments

[Lisa Simeone]

Too cool for words.Vive le nanotechnology!

[Little Hunting Creek]

I love the big orange dots. These would make a wonderful great big pillow or tote bag...or anything!

[Justine]

Oh and once you've got Tyvek on the bottom and a nice asphault shingle coat on the top you won't have to worry about wet weather, or ice damming around your gutters in the winter! :)

[Meryt Bast]

For home decor, it would be fun. For clothing, it would be hot and nonbreathable. I used to keep bees and my "bee suit" was a Tyvek painter's coverall. Sweat City.

[LL]

Tyvek has a very nice hand when you put it through a washer and dryer - it totally looses it's stiffness and rustle - it feels a little fuzzy, but doesn't seem to loose it's strength.

[Erika]

Do you know of anywhere that will recycle normal fabric scraps, small and large? It's such a shame to just have to send them to the landfill when I'm sure someone could shred them further and make something or recycle them. (Mine are typically not appropriate for donating to people who quilt.)

[Sandra B]

I have a couple of tyvek jackets I got from riding STP (Seattle to Portland bicycle classic). They are windproof, but you might as well be in a sauna. It is great for book covers, and would be great for bags, since it is all but indistructable, but I would not recomment it for clothing at all.

[Anonymous]

I made a wedding dress out of used tyvek mailing bags. 2 piece dress, wide skirt only touching the "bride" at waist. And a cap-sleeve bustier, boned. I left arms and shoulders bare. It was a visual joke: "Mail Order Bride", made for Haute Trash. The models did not complain it was hot because it only touched their skin at the upper torso. Maybe your tyvek would be comfortable as a sundress or strapless gown? Or maybe you would line the parts that touch your skin with muslin?-Shaun M.

[Emilie]

I meant wear, of course!

[Anonymous]

Is the return envelope also made out of tyvek?

[Lisa @ the Vintage Fashion Library]

It's the 21st century version of the paper dress, right down to the mod polka dots. Too cool.

[Riva]

Hi Erika,About your fabric scraps...Awhile ago I found this website http://www.clothesmadefromscrap.com/as a link from the Chicago Recycling Coalition website. Maybe they can help you figure out what to do with your scrap.Also, sometimes people that experiment with handmade paper are interested in fabric scraps. Or maybe Chicago Hand Bookbinders or Columbia College Center for Book and Paper Arts.

[gwensews]

Interesting concept. So, this would be a "waterproof, windproof" type of dress?

[squiggystardust]

Please, oh please send Erin the Tyvek! I cannot wait to see the magic she creates!

[Robin Edgerton]

i wrote to mio seeing if they made any other test prints or had irregular/remnants for sale...no luck. I want to make a raincoat, but i wouldn't make a dress out of it. i might have to spring for some at some point...you can buy plain white industrial tyvek but i'm happy to see it in colors.

[PaperDollyGirl]

I wonder - does anyone think this would this be perfect as a bottom fabric on a picnic blanket to prevent wetness from seeping through?

[Jules]

I think that will be great if you will create a pillow cover..That orange dots will fit on it.;D

[wundermary]

This would be perfect as the backing on a picnic blanket. I think it would make great bags, too. It would make a chic rain hat and coat combo. For kids, you could make a pair of suspender pants to wear over their clothes to school. They could be rolled up and hardly take up any space in their locker.Speaking of kids, this stuff would be great for craft smocks, too.

[wundermary]

It would be funny to make a classic frilly apron from this stuff.

[Latter-Day Flapper]

I have a friend who uses Tyvek (the kind with the boring industrial print) to copy and save sewing patterns, which I think is a fabulous idea.

[Craftwerk]

I bought some blank tyvek tarp on ebay to make covers for my serger/sewing machines (long/light so I don't have to lower the thread thingys as with regular covers) I didn't think about prewashing. Also decorated a tyvek apron for Amy's Tie One with Sharpie color pens... I heart Tyvek!

[not THE Erin]

I would think PUL fabric like on cloth diaper covers would make a good picnic blanket backing. It keeps out much worse than dew, I can attest.And for rhymes' sake, I must add: Pew.

[kimberly]

I would love to find some preprinted, solid colors or patterned Tyvek fabric samples to purchase. I have some bags in mind and like the LOOP Dot design but want more variety and choice. Any ideas?

[Robin Edgerton]

apparently sewing tyvek isnt such a good idea--it perforates it, much like perforating paper, so that itll tear easily along a seam...

[TheMillersHouse]

I sell fabric scraps in my Etsy shop. I'm all for recycling fabric and the vintage styles too!