DYNAFLEX thermoplastic elastomers perfect for mosquito wristband repellent

DYNAFLEX 2755 thermoplastic elastomers from GLS help Bug Bam Products LLC create soft-touch products that give mosquitoes the brush-off.

At first glance, Bug Bam repellent products from Bug Bam Products LLC seem simple enough to make. These flexible, colorful wristbands, pet tags, and hanging grids use a proprietary formula of all-natural essential oils to ward off annoying and potentially harmful mosquitoes. However, finding the right material for Bug Bam items was no picnic for company founder and CEO Joseph Symond. With a long list of performance, aesthetic, and safety requirements, and negative experiences with both low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and silicone, Symond called GLS Corporation, a PolyOne company (NYSE: POL), and a global leader in the manufacture of high-performance, custom-formulated thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs). DYNAFLEX* 2755 thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) not only met all of Bug Bam Products LLC’s requirements, but also provided outstanding flow characteristics for demanding new applications.

Thanks to the soft-touch feel, flexibility, resilience, and FDA compliance of DYNAFLEX 2755 TPE, Bug Bam Products LLC has been extremely successful with the Bug Bam line. These easy-to-use, all-natural (DEET-free) repellent products are proving very popular. Retail outlets include QVC home shopping, BJ’s Wholesale Club and Wal-Mart stores. As a result, Symond has expanded the product array; the latest version will be a plug-in vehicle fan containing an insert of the TPE material for use at tailgate parties and other open-air scenarios.

Before contacting GLS, Symond had a vision of what the ideal material would provide. “We had been using LDPE but found that when users bent the wristbands, an unattractive, permanent white line would form,” said Symond. “We wanted the upscale look and feel of silicone, but encountered two issues. The first was silicone’s high cost, but the real deal-breaker was incompatibility with our proprietary essential oils and fragrance that are incorporated into the material. Frankly, when our compounder heated up the mixture, the silicone gave off an unpleasant odor.”

Still seeking the appearance of silicone without its drawbacks, Symond found everything he was looking for in DYNAFLEX 2755 thermoplastic elastomers (TPE). This grade provided an economical solution for a wide variety of applications while delivering a soft, flexible feel; good weatherability; ease of coloring and processing; and FDA compliance.

“Unlike silicone, DYNAFLEX 2755 TPE is completely compatible with our oil-based formula, and can be processed at the lower temperatures necessary to preserve the properties of the plant oils and fragrance,” he said. “Compared to our old material, LDPE, it is much more flexible and does not show any effects from bending.”

The versatility of DYNAFLEX 2755 TPE is helping Bug Bam Products LLC expand and tailor its offerings.

For example, the combination of FDA compliance with softness enables the company to create products for babies and children. When a major retailer asked Bug Bam Products LLC to create a special one-size-fits-all wristband, the excellent flow characteristics of DYNAFLEX thermoplastic elastomers enabled the company to create a design with a snap-off tab having a molded-in groove that would have created problems if done in LDPE or other lower-flow materials. “The properties of the GLS thermoplastic elastomers allowed us to make some minor alterations to the mold and, within a very short period of time, we had our customized product ready to show the buyer, who was thrilled with it,” Symond recalled.

In addition to supplying the ideal material, GLS helps Bug Bam Products LLC with a range of value-added services. “GLS sent a technician to our factory in Shanghai to assist with fine-tuning our molding equipment to resolve issues we were having with temperatures and shot times in order to reduce our waste and produce a clean, perfectly formed piece. The GLS sales manager also checks in regularly to answer questions, and has visited our compounder. In short, GLS is there when we need them.”

Symond concluded, “GLS’s DYNAFLEX has given us a competitive advantage over products that use LDPE. We've sold millions of units and have achieved a near 100% success rate, which is unheard of for a natural repellent. This material has made a big contribution to our success.”

* DYNAFLEX is a trademark of GLS, acquired by PolyOne in January of 2008.

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