# Why the Confusion about "Styrofoam"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 27, 2007, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-confusion-about-styrofoam/409658 "2007-06-27T17:43:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-confusion-about-styrofoam/409658/61 "2007-06-28T20:08:13Z")
[QUOTE=SmackFu] I wonder if Owens Corning has one for pink? [/QUOTE] > **[Owens Corning Copyright | Owens Corning](https://www.owenscorning.com/en-us/copyright)** > > Owens Corning's copyright policy. \<\\> > **[Owens Corning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owens_Corning)** > > Owens Corning is an American company that develops and produces insulation, roofing, and fiberglass composites and related products. It is the world's largest manufacturer of fiberglass composites. It was formed in 1935 as a partnership between two major American glassworks, Corning Glass Works and Owens-Illinois. The company employs approximately 19,000 people around the world. Owens Corning has been a Fortune 500 company every year since the list was created in 1955. The Pink Owens-Corning F... the company became so associated with its pink insulation (originally planned as red, but the dye was not sufficiently concentrated, resulting in its current, trademarked light pink coloring) product that it even registered the term “PINK” (in capital letters only) to refer to its insulation. It was granted a trademark on the color in In re Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp., 774 F.2d 1116 (Fed. Cir. 1985). ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-confusion-about-styrofoam/409658/62 "2007-06-28T20:29:47Z")
I cannot find the plain word “PINK” issued to Owens Corning in the USPTO database. They have plenty of other trademarks that incorporate “PINK”. Aside from the aforementioned PROPINK, there’s: [ul] [li]PINKCORE[/li][li]PINKPLUS[/li][li]PINKCAP[/li][li]1-800-GET-PINK[/li][li]THERMAPINK[/li][li]INSULPINK[/li][li]DURAPINK[/li][/ul] The word “PINK” appears in the following phrases (but not alone) trademarked by Owens Corning: [ul] [li]PARTNER UP WITH PINK[/li][li]IT’S SMART TO THINK PINK[/li][li]PINK PROFITS[/li][/ul] Owens Corning also has abandoned or canceled these trademarks: [ul] [li]PINKFORMXTRA[/li][li]PINK HOMES[/li][li]PINKPLUS[/li][li]PUTTIN’ ON THE PINK[/li][li]HEART OF PINK[/li][li]A LITTLE PINK CAN GO A LONG WAY[/li][li]PINKSEAL[/li][li]PINKSTUFF[/li][li]PINKLINK[/li][/ul] I think somebody at corporate HQ dropped the ball. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-confusion-about-styrofoam/409658/63 "2007-06-28T20:49:06Z")
Wait, [that’s](http://www.thecraftplace.com/store/category.cfm?Category=51) what Styrofoam is? I have to agree with **Cal**. It is possible that the public as a whole just naturally confused that stuff with ESB, but I wouldn’t call it likely. I’m curious what the actual documented history of the word is, too. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-confusion-about-styrofoam/409658/64 "2007-06-28T20:58:50Z")
As soon as I posted, another possibility popped into my head. Styrofoam and ESB, although very different in texture, appearance, and application, can both be (and are) identified by the generic phrase “polystyrene foam.” Most Styrofoam is used inside walls. It was originally used in Coast Guard life rafts. Neither is a place most people are likely to see the actual product. If it was heavily promoted by DOW or found its way into news reports as “STYROFOAM Brand polystyrene foam,” it is possible people were more familiar with the name than the product. When foam cups appeared labeled “polystyrene foam cups,” it wouldn’t take a genius to say, “Hey, that’s the same stuff as Styrofoam!” ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-confusion-about-styrofoam/409658/65 "2007-06-28T21:03:01Z")
[QUOTE=Nametag] What straining at gnats. Coffee cups are made of polystyrene foam; Dow insulation and crafts are made of polystyrene foam. Though they are produced differently, they are manifestly the same damn stuff. It was obvious to me as a child, it’s obvious to me now: coffee cups, angel heads, coolers, and packing peanuts are all made from the same stuff. The differences are minor, and do not change the essential nature of the stuff. The most elegant contraction of polystyrene foam is STYROFOAM, regardless of whether it’s expanded, extruded, or molded. [/QUOTE] I like the way you talk. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2007, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-confusion-about-styrofoam/409658/66 "2007-06-29T08:57:28Z")
[QUOTE=Pygmy Rugger] I’d ask for a Kleenex and a Band-Aid, regardless of the actual brand. Ditto with Xerox and Windex. [/QUOTE] You do realize you’re using another one there, right? “Ditto” is (or was) a trademarked brand of copy machines pre-xerography – the old purple stencil ones. The term entered the language back then as a synonym for ‘copy’ or ‘duplicate’. It’s sometimes said you can estimate the age of someone by what informal term they use for a copy of a document: ditto, carbon, xerox, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2007, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-confusion-about-styrofoam/409658/67 "2007-06-29T11:43:27Z")
[QUOTE=Balthisar] During my stay in Canada it was funny that Aspirin™ was still a registered Bayer trademark [/QUOTE] I wonder if that’s caught on in the UK, I can’t remember the last time I picked up painkillers that were called Aspirin, TM or not. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_B.Phart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Capt\_B.Phart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_B.Phart)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2007, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-confusion-about-styrofoam/409658/68 "2007-06-29T11:59:13Z")
[QUOTE=t-bonham@scc.net] “Ditto” is (or was) a trademarked brand of copy machines pre-xerography – the old purple stencil ones. The term entered the language back then as a synonym for ‘copy’ or ‘duplicate’. [/QUOTE] Hmm, actually the machine followed the word, > [@](#): > > [The first recorded use of ditto in English occurs in such a construction in 1625. The sense “copy” is an English development, first recorded in 1818. Ditto has even become a trademark for a duplicating machine.](http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ditto) ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2007, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-confusion-about-styrofoam/409658/69 "2007-06-29T22:07:47Z")
[QUOTE=t-bonham@scc.net] It’s sometimes said you can estimate the age of someone by what informal term they use for a copy of a document: ditto, carbon, xerox, etc. [/QUOTE] A guy I work with calls CDs “tapes” :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2007, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-confusion-about-styrofoam/409658/70 "2007-06-29T23:57:16Z")
[QUOTE=Phase42] A guy I work with calls CDs “tapes” :dubious: [/QUOTE] I remember Atari cartridges being called “tapes,” (they both came in boxy plastic cases) but CDs? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2007, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-confusion-about-styrofoam/409658/71 "2007-07-02T14:30:32Z")
[QUOTE=t-bonham@scc.net] It’s sometimes said you can estimate the age of someone by what informal term they use for a copy of a document: ditto, carbon, xerox, etc. [/QUOTE] As Phart noted, “ditto” had that meaning before it was used as a brand name. But I also want to mention this: > [@](#): > > “Ditto” is (or was) a trademarked brand of copy machines pre-xerography – the old purple stencil ones. The term entered the language back then as a synonym for ‘copy’ or ‘duplicate’. The generic term for a Ditto machine is “spirit duplicator.” Yep, that intoxicating aroma of a fresh purple ditto was alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2007, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-confusion-about-styrofoam/409658/72 "2007-07-02T15:48:36Z")
Do the readers not remember that the blue and pink Dow building sheets were available after white styrofoam bead sheets were in use for construction. Those white bead sheets where less sturdy and easily fell apart. The craft styrofoam used to be beads also. The products have changed to what you see for sale now. I see I responded to page one of a three page thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-confusion-about-styrofoam/409658.md?page=3)