Core77

beautiful object- I love tyvek suits and think someone should make a bespoke tyvek gentleman's shopsuit.

where is a good place to buy tyvek in rolls?

It's used a lot of wrapping houses in to protect against the elements. You can find rolls at most hardware stores. The only issue is that these are usually branded. http://www.homedepot.com/buy/tyvek-homewrap-3-ft-x-165-ft-roll-d14050353.html#.UQwfhqV9I4I

Any flexible film manufacturer should have the capability to do this job. Sealing film only needs heat, pressure and dwell time. It ain't rocket science.

You will need to invest in a custom sealer as this design does not have the typical straight seals of a typical plastic bag. Vertrod makes such equipment could help if you want to manufacture it yourself.

If you are doing a low run, you will need to pony up for the capital costs. Also, many flexible film manufacturers are setup for very large volumes, think Hefty Bag. Finding someone for a small run is difficult but not impossible. A company called Vonco in the north burbs of Chicago could be one.

I imagine creating a sealed flat bottom could be difficult. Not the sealing but the cutting of a piece that folds in nice while being water tight.

There is nothing paper about Tyvek.

Ryan - you're right. If you look at the website, 5th picture down, you'll see that there is no sealed bottom (please correct me if I'm wrong).

I'm never sure about designs like this to be honest. Simple form, photographed nicely. But what makes it any better than any other vase?? You can still pick up a rounded vase - you don't really need that flat part on the front for picking it up. This one is made from a different material - so that's the USP?

Sorry to sound a bit critical, I'm just trying to pinpoint why Core77 have picked this particular vase out.

Nevertheless, it does look clean, simple and 'designerly'.

Tyvek isn't exactely the ideal material for heat-sealing. Closest you can find is the silica gel packs which are made of Tyvek and heat sealed. You can see that these aren't very strong. Gluing might work though.

You can buy rolls of different tyveks through Material Concept. They are North American distributor for Tyveks. There are hundreds of different Tyveks.

I know Tyveks are moisture proof but I am not sure if they are water proof. I would like to test to see if it would work for a vase. Laminating a thin layer of vinyl inside would work but that defeats the whole purpose of using tyvek.

Tyvek really is an interesting material with great potential. You might want to talk to Artecnica which is a design studio in Los Angeles that pioneered several deesigner products made of Tyvek.

McMaster also sells rolls of Tyvek.
You can sew Tyvek (I've done it), although it leaves a clear view of the puncture holes from the needle and creates a non water-tight construction.

With that said, I think this is still a softgoods job. And for softgoods jobs in New York City, its doable. Jiwon, if you're in NYC, take your samples and some yards of Tyvek over to the Garment District (start at the hut with the large button/needle sculpture if you need help with names) and ask a few places to quote on production. A good sewer will offer water proof bonding techniques using interface material.

It is an elegant design and I wish you luck with the production. However, I wonder how you will clean such a vase? Or am I the only one who leaves flowers on display for too long, letting the water become manky?

If you are still having trouble to find someone that will work with you on this please get in touch. We work in prototyping and short-run manufacture and often solve the difficult problems for a small run of product. www.boxandidice.com.au

I too explored Tyvek as a material and had no problem contacting the company to receive samples of all the different weights and weaves offered from them along with a distributor list for wholesale ( if you are re-sale ) sales.

I believe "Design's " comment is correct that although most Tyveks are water resistant, they are not necessarily waterproof. Even "waterproof" nylons and cotton ducks start to wick the water through the material after time... I would think that you would experience the same dilemma with Tyvek.

But with that in mind, I wouldn't stop the pursuit of a short-run self made production just because you were not able to find a make willing to change their current production methods are willing to explore new ones. Unfortunately the industry doesn't always allow for innovation due to overhead, minimums and the way we have set-up machining/production in manufacturing.
Some of the best ideas had to have a production created for them.

As clean and elegant as this design is i would have trouble with the from as a vase. It would end up more disposable the reusable due to the lack of ability to clean the vessel and the material wearing quickly. I think this would defeat the purpose of a "recyclable material " Anyone that actually uses a vase or deals with flowers knows what happens to the water after a short period of time...SLIME !

Good Luck and don't be afraid to take a calculated risk.

Tyvek not good for heat sealing? Huh? It is one of the most common lid stocks for form-fill-seal machines. It is breathable and allows for ETO sterilization. Sorry, most surgical kits are heat sealed Tyvek.

I work for a heat seal machinery company. The Tyvek lidding comes COATED with heat seal coating, just like printed cards do for face seal blister packaging. The coating is usually a solvent based coating that's heat activated. Dwell and temp depends on the coating chemistry, the substrate, and what goes in it.

The only way to make this vase would be to use a gusseted bottom like a stand-up pouch. The amount of capital required to engineer the system to handle the material, cut it, fold it, and seal it would be cost prohibitive unless production was very high volume.

db: those surgical kits you talk about are exactly right: Tyvek is the predominant lidding because it's gas permeable. The trays it sticks to are either PVC or more likely PET. (I know because we make the trays too - just not for FFS)

I like the concept. Tyvek is a fun material and have used in many applications for packaging. I do how ever worry about the reusability for a clean interior product that must always look its best and not like a paper cup that you leave soda in to l long in your car.

I love the way the material ages from a texture stand point but not the edges. maybe working the edges with another material will also help with your construction techniques.