Tyvek housewrap was invented in 1955 by Dupont and commercialized in 1967, but was still new enough a product and idea in the early 80’s that representatives from DuPont found it necessary to send representatives to the New England Builder journal to get the message about their product out. The product, the Tyvek housewrap, was a material that was wrapped around the outside of a home to provide an air barrier that was supposed to improve energy performance. On paper, it seemed great, especially for older houses, but it turned out that the original formula was prone to deterioration from surfactants in wood. The Tyvek product line has increased since then.
Read the full article here: What’s New with Water-Resistive Barriers