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Ideal can fairly claim to be the founder of modem tape reinforcement for footwear. Prior to 1950's, the only tapes available were basic cotton or paper with primitive pressure sensitive adhesive. Application was difficult due to bad unwind and they were only suitable for basic functions such as seam reinforcement.
1956. Garfield brothers left Allied Tape to form Ideal and engineer superior adhesives which offered better adhesion and unwind. This combination of adhesion and easy unwind has remained a key factor in Ideal products ever since.
1960. Ideal developed #D nylon as a general reinforcement tape and it remains the best all round nylon available. The 60's also saw Ideal introduce the concept of topline pre-taping with nylon/cottons and the use of non wovens as stay reinforcements.
1970. Ideal perfected the cutting of woven shoe tape, being the first to consistently slit product down to l/8" wide. They also introduced Polyknit seam tape at this time for fashion boots. It has since become an industry standard for almost all seam taping applications.
1980. Lighter uppers demanded lighter and better engineered reinforcements. Ideal pioneered light flexible non wovens such as #3200 Sofstay and #3500 Realstay. These products were further enhanced by computer cutting to customers' own shapes.
1990. Increased sourcing of footwear from Asia, has seen Ideal develop competitive products to meet the specifications of major world Brands. We have also provided solutions to other shoemaking problems: Tack-Free, Takseal, and StayRite etc.
Ideal remains committed to innovation and aims to introduce a significant new product where practical every 12 months. The current programme includes a new type of seam tape and a potentially bio-degradable backer / lining.
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