Consumer Goods
We use hundreds of foam articles to make life easier at home. Here are some of the “visible” products:
Household sponges
One would think that there is nothing as simple as a sponge. Not quite. Polyurethane foam sponges can be made in several varieties depending on what they will be used for. For example, fine pore hydrophilic sponges have a great level of absorbency and work best on smooth surfaces. Open, rugged style cleaning sponges are better for cracked surfaces. Some are anti-bacterial, others are abrasive. And of course, there are a multitude of shapes and colours available on the market.
Clothing and shoes
Flexible polyurethane foam is used extensively by the clothing and shoe industry.
+The main consumer application in the clothing industry is for intimate apparel. 70 to 80% of all bras are made with polyurethane foam cups. Foam is also used for shoulder pads and protective clothing.
Almost all shoes today contain polyurethane foam: city shoes, sport shoes, hiking boots, house shoes. Foam is used for temperature control, shock absorption, lining and shaping.
Cosmetics
Polyurethane foam is used in many cosmetic applications, such as eye shadow applicators, foot sponges, facial sponges and cosmetic powder puffs.
Paint pads and rollers
Foam paint rollers are among the most popular paint application tools worldwide. They are easy to clean and can be re-used many times. They reduce the spillage of paint as well as the amount of paint needed to do the job.
+Next to paint rollers, paint pads can also be made out of polyurethane foam. They drip less than classic paint brushes and – similar to rollers – they require less paint for the same surface. Paint pads can come in many different shapes, to allow precise painting in corners, close to doors or around electrical outlet sockets.
Others
Polyurethane foam is present in many more consumer goods, such as filters for vacuum cleaners, wipers, soft freezing bags, soft toys, polishing pads, diapers… its applications and the benefits it provides are countless.