Rubber prices hit record high, fueling manufacturers’ appetite for Guayule rubber »
According to a report February 9 from Rubber & Plastics News, Hevea-based natural rubber prices have skyrocketed to an all-time high – tripling in the past two years. This is due to dramatic increases in demands for rubber material and a tightened supply. Industry experts see the upward trend continuing with soaring demand for raw [...]
Distinguished Service: Guayule’s Role in World War II »
During World War II, trading and exchange with Southeast Asia was stifled and many Americans were required to ration items that were in short supply. Rubber was one such item and, in fact, was the first non-food item required to be rationed. According to author and guayule scholar Mark R. Finlay, as early as 1910, [...]
Guayule named Crop of the Week »
The Yuma Sun in Arizona named guayule the “Crop of the Week” for the week of October 16-22, 2010. Native to the deserts of the U.S. Southwest, the guayule shrub is a commercial crop that produces a domestic source of rubber. The Yuma Sun estimates that the amount of guayule being grown in Yuma is [...]
Latex Allergy Awareness Week »
Most people have a general idea of what latex is, but how can you be allergic to latex and what does that mean? Allergic reactions to natural latex from Hevea brasiliensis, or the Brazilian rubber tree, are the body’s detrimental response to the material’s protein composition. Having a latex allergy means one’s body has an [...]
Guayule: the rubber industry’s Tesla Hybrid »
Let’s say you’re being offered a free car; would you choose the car with 500 horsepower and hand-stitched Italian leather interior, or the car that had all those features and was also a hybrid and better for the environment? Manufacturers face a similar situation when evaluating traditional and synthetic rubber materials against guayule natural rubber [...]
