
As we go through the alphabet of Great American mid-century brands, we come to the letter D and the giant company DuPont. Numerous DuPont ads are found in mid-century women’s magazines to educate readers about its manmade fibers used in clothing and nylon stockings. Here, they are showing mothers that their Orlon acrylic fiber is perfect for back-to-school sweaters.

And here they are showing moms that the durability of clothing made with nylon is perfect for boys.

I love that this ad shows signage for DuPont 420 Nylon that would typically be found in a mid-century department store. The whole family is participating in back-to-school shopping and the whole family is dressed in swanky clothing.

Here is one other example of a DuPont nylon ad. This one is a different type of nylon–Nylon Stockings.

This one shows a variety of DuPont washable products and describes the benefits of each.

Each ad is clear to point out that DuPont is a fiber company and not a fashion company.
DuPont Makes fibers, does not make the fabric or fashions shown here

The textile industry was big business in the mid-century and manmade fibers were still a relatively new concept. DuPont advertising was a way to explain the benefits of manmade instead of natural fibers such as cotton, wool, and silk. The company’s tagline was found in each ad.
Better things for better living – through chemistry


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