Polymer clay is a material that is used by many arts and crafts hobbyists. They generally use it to create their own pieces of handmade jewellery. As a material, this particular form of clay was first introduced to the public in the 1930s. However, it has only really become readily available to people over the past forty years or so. Since it has not been as widely used as many other forms of art clay and other jewellery making materials, the opportunities to do something unique when using it are much higher. Still, many professional and novice jewellery makers enjoy having the freedom to experiment with it; you'll often find it incorporated into their work - i.e. pendants and earrings for example.
Although, as previously mentioned, it hasn't been widely used for all that long - especially when compared to other popular jewellery making materials - polymer clay has been around since the 1930s and was first created in Germany. It was created by a doll maker who was experiencing difficulties in finding supplies to make her dolls. In a bid to find an effective material to produce her dolls, the woman used plastic-based clay - known as Fifi Mosaik. Easy to decorate, this clay was used by the woman to create the heads of the dolls.
Later, during the 1960s, the plastic clay mold formula was sold to a manufacturer known as Eberhard Faber. He took the formula of what had then become known as Fimo polymer clay and adjusted it. In the modern era Fimo polymer clay is widely sold in many different toy stores, as well as arts and craft stores, all over Europe; this has led many to mistakenly believe that it's a product design for children. However, it is more aimed at adults looking to undertake a craft project.
In the United States polymer clay was first introduced to customers and craft lovers in the 1970s. The Shaups, a family who had ties to Germany, received a pack of this clay as a Christmas gift. They then, understandably, began to produce their own pieces of jewellery, which friends and neighbours soon began to take note of. Having seen many good reactions, the family decided to start importing Fimo polymer clay into the US in 1975. Many other American firms began to follow suit and the product became a solid seller in the country. At the same time it was also becoming extremely popular in the UK.
Even though the Fimo brand of polymer clay was not brought over to the US until the 1970s, many were experimenting with this unique form of clay as early as the 1950s. An illustrator by the name of Gordon Swenarton used the clay that he had gotten from his father to make wonderful creations, whilst the American company Zenith created their own form of polymer clay by accident. They created a thermal transfer compound that didn't work; polyform clay was produced as a result.
Since it was first invented in the 1930s polymer clay has gone on to provide many people with a huge amount of joy.
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