Dec 15 2012
Yulex Corporation, an agricultural-based biomaterials company, and Four D Rubber, a UK-based manufacturer of latex sheeting for the dental, fitness, clothing and industrial markets and applications, announced today a partnership to produce the first plant-based, latex allergy-friendly dental dam. The Yulex Dental Dam will be made from guayule-based biorubber material. Guayule is a renewable, non-food, latex allergy-friendly crop grown in the U.S.
Yulex applies sustainable agriculture, clean bioprocessing, and materials science to replace imported Hevea latex and synthetic materials. Consumer and medical products made from Hevea rubber latex can cause a Type 1 Allergic reaction in some people. Yulex's guayule-based biorubbers do not contain sensitizing allergenic proteins.
"Yulex is pleased to partner with Four D Rubber to bring consumers the first dental dam products made from guayule, a renewable, health-friendly alternative," said Jeff Martin , CEO, President and Founder of Yulex Corporation. "The use of our alternative biorubber materials for dental dams and other consumer products can enhance patient comfort by eliminating risk of Type I allergies."
"Yulex offers Four D Rubber exciting possibilities in the growing market of non-allergenic latex sheeting and its physical properties make it ideal for dental dams," said Four D Managing Director Paul Tonks . "Yulex's eco-friendly profile will be a positive benefit as we launch this new range of products."
A desert plant indigenous to the southwest United States, guayule is a new industrial crop and the only species other than Hevea that has been used for rubber production on a commercial scale. Guayule requires low water consumption, is latex allergy-friendly and has a clean manufacturing process. Rubber is found primarily in the bark of this desert shrub. To extract the rubber, the branches are ground, releasing intact rubber particles into an aqueous suspension. The materials are separated in a centrifuge, and the rubber mixture is purified.