It’s not a stretch to say that LYCRA is one of the greatest clothing innovations of the 20th century. Chances are your closet houses at least a few pieces of the flexible synthetic fiber, generically known as spandex.
But did you know the man behind the clothing innovation was Joseph C. Shivers, PhD? The late Canisius chemistry instructor developed LYCRA while working at the DuPont plant during the day and teaching at night.
Now, the National Inventors Hall of Fame plans to recognize Shivers’ invention by inducting him, posthumously, on May 3 during a ceremony at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.
A native of Moorestown, NJ, Shivers received a BS, an MA and a PhD in organic chemistry from Duke University. He worked for DuPont from 1946 up until his retirement in 1980 and taught at Canisius from approximately 1948 – 1950.
Click here to learn more about Shivers and how he came to develop LYCRA.
