Following up on last month’s discussion on marketing rubber cords,
and what to call them besides rubber - several Orchidians voiced
concerns that any term besides “rubber” might endanger people with
latex sensitivities. Neoprene and natural rubber are two quite
different animals: according to the American Heritage Dictionary,
neoprene is a synthetic rubber produced by the polymerization of
chloroprene, while natural rubber, as we all know, is made from latex
harvested from trees, and latex can cause nasty allergic reactions in
some people.
Lest those people order rubber-cord jewelry from me, I changed my
product description back to “rubber cord,” and then I e-mailed and
then called Rio Grande to see if they could tell me what their
rubber cords actually are. I got a very nice and helpful lady on the
line who said that she’d have the product manager give me a
call…and that was the last I’ve heard.
So, Rio folks, I know you’re here! I’d be very grateful if somebody,
somewhere could find the answer to this question. I’m sure I’m not
the only one who would like to know.
Many thanks,
Jessee Smith
www.silverspotstudio.com
Cincinnati, Ohio