Animent’s Scratch n All® grooming pads, designed for domestic and zoo animals, are molded from PolyOne’s soft and durable GLS Dynaflex™ thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). Dynaflex G 7970 TPE complies with FDA food-contact requirements and provides long-lasting performance.
PolyOne collaborated with Animent’s Cynthia Garry, who invented and patented the award-winning Scratch n All pads. Garry initially molded the interlocking pads from silicone rubber, but sought a replacement material due to cost and performance issues. The application required a material that was soft to the touch for comfort, yet resilient enough to prevent stretching or abrasion by large animals. It had to be colorable in a wide array of shades, including a special ‘Awareness Pink’ for breast cancer research that Animent supports. “Although it wasn’t required, I also insisted on FDA compliance,” said Garry. Finally, the material had to remain stable in color and performance under a variety of environmental conditions.
Sid Ege, owner of S E Moulding worked with Garry to identify the best material. After evaluating standard and high-molecular-weight vinyl and polyethylene, Ege turned to GLS Dynaflex TPE. According to Ege, “PolyOne’s GLS team helped us identify the right durometer so that the end result was neither too soft nor too rubbery. Dynaflex G7970 molds without difficulty, colors easily, and allows reprocessing of scrap for better economics and reduced environmental impact. PolyOne’s GLS team is very knowledgeable about their product and the type of molding we do.”
Dynaflex is helping Animent transform an idea into a successful venture. Animent was recognized by StartupNation as a Top Ten Business in its 2009 Home-Based 100 competition. “The product has only been on the market for a few months, but we are getting a tremendous response from customers,” Garry said. “The quality, performance and aesthetics of the Dynaflex material are playing an important role in the successful roll-out of the product and continued growth of Animent.”
PolyOne
www.polyone.com
::Design World::
Filed Under: Green engineering • renewable energy • sustainability, Packaging