CorfamIn 1964, E.I. duPont de Nemours Co. introduced Corfam. This hydrocarbon-based, synthetic substitute for leather was flexible, with tiny pores, for uses such as shoes, handbags, belts and suitcases. Shoes put on sale with Corfam uppers were supposed to give consumers the look, feel and durability of leather. DuPont predicted that by 1984, 25% of America's shoes would be made of Corfam. But synthetic leather was snubbed by customers in droves. It was one of the best-prepared products in terms of market and technology development and yet it failed. Time on the market: seven years. Production ceased in 1971. Corfam was described by Leonard Sloane in the New York Times as, "Du Pont's $100-Million Edsel," (11 Apr 1971). |
