Yulex
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rubber manufacturing |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Headquarters | Chandler, Arizona , United States |
| Products | Guayule-derived rubber goods, medical-grade latex gloves, wetsuits, bedding products, dental dams |
| Website | www |
Yulex Corporation specializes in manufacturing goods derived from Guayule (Parthenium argentatum), an environmentally sustainable crop resource.
History
In 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the use of Yulex biorubber gloves for medical applications, representing the inaugural biobased, medical-grade latex suitable for individuals with latex allergies.
By 2012, Yulex obtained a $6.9 million grant from the USDA and Department of Energy (DoE) as part of a collaborative research effort involving the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Cooper Tire. This alliance aims to optimize production techniques, evaluate guayule-derived natural rubber for tire manufacturing, convert guayule biomass into biofuel, refine agricultural methods, generate genetic information, and perform lifecycle assessments.
That same year, Yulex introduced the first neoprene alternative wetsuit through a partnership with Patagonia, launched guayule-based bedding products including mattresses and pillows with Pure LatexBliss, and created a plant-derived dental dam that is safe for latex allergy sufferers in collaboration with 4D Rubber.
In 2013, Yulex collaborated with ENI's Versalis to broaden the availability of guayule-based products within European markets.