Product claims to make household objects, electronics liquid-repellent
Digital Reporter
Thursday, July 11, 2013, 5:33 PM -
Is NeverWet the next big thing?
Judging by the amount of attention it's receiving online, it very well could be.
A video demo of the product -- which claims to make clothing, household objects and electronics water-repellent -- has garnered more than 3 million views since it was uploaded to YouTube three weeks ago.
NeverWet's designers say the spray-on, silicone-based coating creates a "superhydrophobic barrier" that causes liquid to bounce off a surface without wetting anything.
The demo is fascinating: Among other tricks, company reps dip an iPhone in a tub of water and turn a cardboard box into an impromptu cooler.
The product has obvious applications for people living in areas flood-prone areas -- but is NeverWet safe?
According to the company, it is.
"The superhydrophobic ingredient in the Top Coat has been used in the cosmetics and food industry for over 20 years and has been deemed safe by the US Environmental Protection Agency," NeverWet writes.
"The other ingredients are typical ingredients found in paint."
Still, questions have been raised about the product's carbon footprint.
"What about the toxicity?" one YouTube user asked.
"I'm fearing that this stuff might be non-biodegradable and bio-accumulative, and might turn out to be the next PCB over the coming decades."
NeverWet is available in the United States. A basic kit retails for $19.97.
