Vinyl is a fabric that first was used during World War II to produce records for phonographs and that also was used during this time to replace natural rubber, which was in very short supply because of the war effort. It had entirely replaced all other materials that were used to make records by the 1950s, and since then vinyl has served in a number of capacities. It originally was invented by Waldo Lonsbury Semon, who was working as a researcher at B.F. Goodrich Co. and who in 1926 invented what was called plasticized polyvinyl chloride, or the predecessor to today’s vinyl. So vinyl has been around for almost 100 years, and with its age has come many new purposes.

Today, vinyl coated fabric is used in various applications, from making vinyl sign material to creating laminate fabric. Because vinyl coated fabric is so durable, printable vinyl is possible with many of these applications. This gives business clients a firm surface to put their logos and icons on, and it fills a dire need across multiple industries that get into using lower technologies to satisfy marketing needs. This durability is perhaps the most noted benefit of vinyl coated fabric, but there are other advantages as well.

For one thing, vinyl coated fabric is very inexpensive. For another, it is extremely simple to clean up. So basically customers that use vinyl fabrics usually end up paying far less than others picking more expensive materials that perhaps cannot stand up to harsh elements, and they are using a fabric that is extremely simple to keep in good condition. Another advantage is that this fabric usually is made with some form of PVC, which is a very nice alternative to other materials that perhaps harm the environment more. In fact, PVC pipe, which is the market that is the largest in terms of producing vinyl, is widely known as a more affordable, less corrosive and much more simply installed alternative to metal piping. These benefits are just a few of the many that exist when companies or individuals pick out vinyl coated fabric.

Today, vinyl coated fabric has many uses, from development of signs to the manufacturing of children’s toys. In fact, Colorforms, which were named among the most popular toys for kids during the 20th century, are made from this fabric. So from function to fun, this fabric has stood the test of time since it was invented almost a century ago.