Dear Rubber Flooring Experts,
Are rubber ducks actually made of rubber?
- Just Wondering
Dear Just Wondering,
Rubber ducks were first invented in the 1800s, not too long after the industrial and commercial value of rubber was discovered. The early rubber industry saw great consumer interest in rubber toys, including dolls and cars. This is because these toys were durable and built to last which made them very popular. One could say that they became popular thanks to the naturally occurring characteristics of rubber!
These qualities are what have allowed rubber to become a standard and reliable material for a range of applications! Many products utilize the same characteristics as the good old rubber duck: its water resistance makes great non slip rubber pavers, its flexibility and resilience makes excellent rubber padding for gyms, and its colorfastness makes it great for those colored rubber flooring tiles commonly found on playgrounds.
Nowadays, due to the popularity of synthetic materials, many ducks are made out of vinyl. However, real rubber ducks are still manufactured, and they are certainly superior in quality to their plastic cousins!
- The Rubber Flooring Experts