#What is Polypropylene?

[surbhijamdade]

Revenue Forecast and Competitive Landscape for the Polypropylene Market

Global Polypropylene Market Overview: Major Trends and Insights

The Polypropylene Market research report offers an in-depth analysis of market dynamics, competitive landscapes, and regional growth patterns. This comprehensive report provides businesses with the strategic insights necessary to identify growth opportunities, manage risks, and develop effective competitive strategies in an ever-evolving market.

According to Straits Research, the global Polypropylene Market market size was valued at USD 125.25 billion in 2023. It is projected to reach from USD 129.48 billion in 2024 to USD 168.92 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 3.38% during the forecast period (2024–2032).

Request a Sample Report Today @ https://straitsresearch.com/report/polypropylene-market/request-sample

Global Polypropylene Market Segmental Analysis

As a result of the Polypropylene market segmentation, the market is divided into sub-segments based on product type, application, as well as regional and country-level forecasts.

By Type

Copolymer

Homopolymer

By End-User

Automotive

Consumer Goods/Lifestyle

Electrical & Electronics

Others

Agriculture

Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals

Infrastructure & Construction

Packaging

You can check In-depth Segmentation from here: https://straitsresearch.com/report/polypropylene-market/toc

Why Invest in this Report?

Leverage Data for Strategic Decision-Making: Utilize detailed market data to make informed business decisions and uncover new opportunities for growth and innovation.

Craft Expansion Strategies for Diverse Markets: Develop effective expansion strategies tailored to various market segments, ensuring comprehensive coverage and targeted growth.

Conduct Comprehensive Competitor Analysis: Perform in-depth analyses of competitors to understand their market positioning, strategies, and operational strengths and weaknesses.

Gain Insight into Competitors' Financial Metrics: Acquire detailed insights into competitors' financial performance, including sales, revenue, and profitability metrics.

Benchmark Against Key Competitors: Use benchmarking to compare your business's performance against leading competitors, identifying areas for improvement and potential competitive advantages.

Formulate Region-Specific Growth Strategies: Develop geographically tailored strategies to capitalize on local market conditions and consumer preferences, driving targeted business growth in key regions.

List of Top Leading Players of the Polypropylene Market -

LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (Netherlands)

ExxonMobil Chemical (U.S.)

China National Petroleum Corporation (China)

INEOS (UK)

China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (China)

SABIC (Saudi Arabia)

Ducor Petrochemicals (Netherlands)

Reliance Industries Limited (India)

Formosa Plastic Group (Taiwan)

Total S.A. (France)

Braskem (Brazil)

BASF SE (Germany)

Repsol (Spain)

Borouge (UAE)

Borealis AG (Austria)

MOL Group (Hungary)

Beaulieu International Group (Belgium) 

Reasons to Purchase This Report:

Access to Comprehensive Information: Gain access to an extensive collection of analysis, research, and data that would be challenging to acquire independently. This report offers valuable insights, saving you considerable time and effort.

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Regional Analysis Polypropylene Market

The regional analysis sectio n of the report offers a thorough examination of the global Polypropylene market, detailing the sales growth of various regional and country-level markets. It includes precise volume analysis by country and market size analysis by region for both past and future periods. The report provides an in-depth evaluation of the growth trends and other factors impacting the Polypropylene market in key countries, such as the United States, Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Russia, Italy, China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia, Australia, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia. Moreover, it explores the progress of significant regional markets, including North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and the Middle East & Africa.

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[wikipediapictures]

Plastic degradation by marine bacteria

“Plastic waste pollution on Singapore beach.” - via Wikimedia Commons

[chocolatepot]

I'm so tired of being anxious about work! I'm tired of it consuming my energy during the day and keeping me up at night!

[trry2ylor]

https://www.futureelectronics.com/p/passives--capacitors--film-capacitors/106k050cs4g-paktron-capacitors-5168190

Electronic film capacitors, Type of capacitors, Film dielectric capacitors

CS4 Series 50 V 10 uF ±10% SMT Metallized Polyester Capstick® Capacitor

[me-amaraja]

[thoughtsafterdark]

Changeling

Years ago

When I fell I love with the shake of a head

The sweep of a fringe across honey eyes

With hard edges and cutting comments

With earnestness and sincerity

Trembling, pouting lips

And everything in between

When the thought of going to bed with strangers unnerved me

I was so in love with the unwavering notion of love

I thought there must be something wrong with me

When I was 13 I had a letterbox of loves, real and imagined, made from long sighs and airy thoughts

and I would take them out, carefully, blow off the dust and cobwebs at birthdays and holidays

Dance with ghouls under the green and red and blue Christmas lights

The hazy mouldy smog of the artificial tree made my throat itch, triggered asthma attacks

A 1970s astigmatic capitalist daydream

Our reflections mirrored on baubles in the dark of Christmas Eve

And I lived there between branches

Polypropylene leaves digging into my skin

And I would whisper in their ears

Exchange love notes by the nativity scene

Who needed friends when I had

Tempero parietal epilepsy

And a rich internal life

(Autism diagnosis pending)

Sometimes I think

Whatever happened to her

To that wild, wide eyed, unsettling little changeling

The one who would watch the washing machine for hours

Hypnotised by the universes trapped in soap bubble films

They warp and change divide and split. Mitose. Evolve. Is this what it is to play god. We are closer to him in those years. Half formed clay golems with chubby, pawing fingers, muddy hair and drooling eyes.

If I were to crawl into his lap

Do you think he would hug me close like my father never did

I remember mornings

On the way to school

Stomach in knots

I remember French toast smothered in buttery creaminess. Bottled sunshine. Red berries popping on my tongue. Bursts of blood red flesh against retainers. An autumnal afternoon wrapped in a nauseous morning haze. Palms drenched in sweat.

I remember mud and dirt on knees, under fingernails. The feel of butterfly wing powder on my fingers.  Digging through mud, playing with ants. I used to pluck out their legs one by one, and watch as the others tore it apart.

I remember the hypnotic lick of flames against midnight skies, paper towns and cardboard dollhouse burning to ashes in the wind. I used to imagine the screams.

Don't you think fire is so poetic. Some glitch in the matrix. As alive as a dead thing can be. Heat and light, ionised air, a chain reaction that spreads and jumps from one thing to another? Destroys in its wake. The cancer of the dead world, with its own nefarious self replicating agenda. The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics, heat death made sentient. Saltatory conduction and Conway's game of life (or death)

Do you suppose with enough time it could learn to think? Do you believe if it could it would scream?

She's been locked in her cell for too long. I'm so so tired and the mask is melting.

I used to think I was good at reading people. At empathising. Now I wonder was it just her. Playing with puzzles, matching faces to appropriate responses.

I can feel her waking up, with her wide fae eyes, her long pointed ears. The better to see you with my dear. Better to quirk a head to the side and hear you with my dear. Unhinge her jaw and swallow you whole. Feel my spine crack, bones rearrange, muscles twist. The crunch of food plunging down my throat. My scales contracting around the bolus, accommodating, slithering.

They say hate and love are two sides to the same coin and I am inclined to agree. I thought I knew hate, and then you came. Like a storm that left me desolate and full of rage. I can feel the bitterness and fury sharpening itself in my gut every time I hear your voice. The blade melting, forging. The voice driving me insane. To best you, leave you in the dust. I am so so bone tired.

Sometimes I wonder

If I should love my hourglass body more

There are moments when I envy men

But never as much as now

Nothing drives my dysphoria like

Wanting to gauge out your eyes with my fingers

And fuck your empty eye sockets while you scream

Feel the supraorbital notch against my pelvis

Revel in the wet, garish squelch

I think you've gone braindead but that's alright

That's what my fingers buried in your nape are for

There is blood everywhere, god so much blood.

And here you had us all thinking you couldn't bleed

(Shut up

You all know

If I were a man

Writing about a woman

Pinning her down

Rearranging her insides

You would clap and ooh and ahh

Such a tortured soul, aching for release

Slaps on the back and salutations

"Tell us Stanley! Oh did you know since you were

a fucked up little boy pulling on Pigtails

That your self-indulgent gore pornography would revolutionise the medium of film?")

My momma used to say, clutching at her bloated belly

that she would love any baby

As long as it was happy and healthy

And! As long as it wasn't mentally...deficient. She would laugh then. How could she have a baby like that.

Some say I'm a genius mommy

I was the best in my class

But why do I feel like

I should tell you I'm sorry

I really did try

But mommy I'm so tired

I want to go to sleep

My bones are sick of trying

And the redcaps in the Earth are calling to me

They're so hungry momma

And so am I

I hope you find your real daughter mommy

Hope she has your eyes

I hope you get to love her mommy

Just not the way you loved me

[dollsahoy]

Started this reroot yesterday, finished this afternoon. I have a stack of dolls who have been waiting for reroots for years, but this is not one of those

This head (Fashionistas 77) was in the box from @hellodollstuff; I knew I wanted to replace her original straight brown hair, eventually, so I found a body for her and added her to the reroot box

I felt The Reroot Urge yesterday and started shuffling through the box, and there were some very patient dolls I almost chose

but

I had recently accidentally pulled apart some synthetic cording that had been the drawstring in some drawstring bags I'd bought for their novelty fabric, and it looked like this

and I wondered if it would work as doll hair

(This is what I did the burn test on the other day; while I'm not entirely sure it is nylon, I am more sure it's not polypropylene)

The individual fibers in this are much finer than doll hair, but each overall strand of fibers is just the right size to fill one rooting plug hole. The texture is bulky enough that, after I did the hairline using every existing hole, I did the scalp only using every other existing row

I had a bit of a problem when I was trying to unravel the second length of cord for this--it comes apart in two steps. The first step involved cutting off whatever is on the ends to keep it from unraveling (knot, glue, melt, aglet), then it will pull apart easily. However, the two strands are still somewhat interlocked, so you have to find the correct end and start pulling again, and the strands will pop apart. My problem was from the way both ends resisted coming apart on that second step. I had to use a needle to unwind some areas where the strands were looped around each other, and it seemed like, no matter which end I tried, it just would not pull apart for more than a tiny amount, and I had to use the needle to unwind it again. I finally figured out that the end that seemed to want to unravel easier (even though it wasn't actually doing that) was the wrong end, and once I worked out the big tangle on the other end, it pulled right apart.

When I was manually unlooping it, it developed a fluffy texture from being moved so much

which might be fun to do intentionally sometime

I know you can buy actual doll hair with a similar texture; I was just playing around with what I had

[theamityelf]

what do you think of aus where makoto goes through the Kamukura Project instead of hajime? i've seen a few around, but im curious about your take on the concept

Ooh, that's a good question!

For my own headcanons, I imagine, in his early days of consciousness as Izuru Kamukura (or Izuru Kamukura Iteration 2, if the Hajime version still exists in this timeline), he isn't aware of himself as a person pretty much at all. Even when the scientists talk to him, he isn't really aware that he's a person who is alive. He's really focused on them and understanding what they're saying and doing and why, but the fact that he doesn't process himself as a participant or agent in anything that happens to him means he's more witnessing the scene from a perspective of "I understand. This is a laboratory, and they're experimenting on a test subject. I wonder if their work will ever be done. They don't look happy. How do I know that? Because they hold tension in their faces. Because of the diameter of their pupils. They looked happier when they walked in than they are now. Why is that?"

(In contrast, I believe Hajime Izuru's analysis of the situation always included himself. I imagine, around this point in the Project, he saw things more like, "When *this stimulus* happens, it results in them doing *this thing* that hurts me. I have a vested interest in preventing this outcome." Makoto still experiences pain, but since he doesn't consider himself a person with agency, he just takes it as a thing that sometimes happens.)

It isn't until he's placed in a room with a two-way mirror that he sees things differently. (Similar to a thing I said about Izuru in Panel, but a little different.) He's looking at his reflection while the scientists run tests on him, and he's thinking, There are five people in this room. I only see four, until I look in the mirror. Right. The fifth one...That's the test subject. The one they're always talking to. He's bleeding. He shouldn't be; it looks like they made a mistake. Probably related to the visible signs of sleep deprivation in Dr. Sano. They shouldn't be handling the injury that way. That's not the way a normal medical practitioner treats a patient. Ow. They're very accomplished physicians; they know better than to treat someone this way and allow them to feel unnecessary pain. Ow.

And then he watches a drop of blood run down the middle of the test subject's face at the same time that he feels it happening, and it fully registers: That's right. I'm the test subject. The surreal feeling of realizing he's Someone dazes him for a second. If he's Someone, it's possible he can move. He can...talk?

"Dr. Sano?" he says, startling everyone in the room. "You usually use the polydioxanone sutures for lacerations like this. What made you choose the non-absorbable polypropylene this time? If it's related to your conversation with Dr. Fujita at your last shift, I don't find it likely that he actually felt that strongly about your work. He murmurs to himself about his family a lot; I think his frustrations about his son's grades fed into a mild complaint he had toward you."

The scientists all look at each other, because this test subject has been anomalously unresponsive, and suddenly he throws out not only a full sentence but an extremely comprehensive take on everything that's happening and everything that has happened.

They call in a bunch of other doctors to just assail him with questions, but while it's exciting that he's become responsive, they soon determine that it's easier to get a direct answer to a direct question out of him when there's fewer people to draw his attention. He doesn't treat them hierarchically, like he should. If the head doctor, in an otherwise silent room packed with lesser doctors, asks Makoto something, he might choose to ask one of the lesser doctors where his usual pocket protector is, or observe aloud that someone smells like watermelon.

Like the first Izuru Kamukura, this one is unemotional and largely unmotivated. Unlike the first Izuru Kamukura, this one doesn't resign himself to the tedium of life or live in pursuit of an end to that tedium. He just kind of lives vicariously through those who care. His thought about any given thing is, This is completely uninteresting to me, but it must matter, because someone cares about it.

(Possible scenario: "Makoto, kill that guy!"

"Okay." (starts strangling) (stops strangling) "Never mind. I think he doesn't want me to kill him."

"I know, but do it anyway."

"Why? He doesn't want me to.")

I can't stress enough how much he can't be motivated by pain or harm to himself. Unless someone else expresses that they don't want him to be hurt, it doesn't occur to him to make avoiding that a priority.

[mariacallous]

Our planet is choking on plastics. Some of the worst offenders, which can take decades to degrade in landfills, are polypropylene—which is used for things such as food packaging and bumpers—and polyethylene, found in plastic bags, bottles, toys, and even mulch.

Polypropylene and polyethylene can be recycled, but the process can be difficult and often produces large quantities of the greenhouse gas methane. They are both polyolefins, which are the products of polymerizing ethylene and propylene, raw materials that are mainly derived from fossil fuels. The bonds of polyolefins are also notoriously hard to break.

Now, researchers at UC Berkeley have come up with a method of recycling these polymers that uses catalysts that easily break their bonds, converting them into propylene and isobutylene, which are gases at room temperature. Those gases can then be recycled into new plastics.

“Because polypropylene and polyethylene are among the most difficult and expensive plastics to separate from each other in a mixed waste stream, it is crucial that [a recycling] process apply to both polyolefins,” the research team said in a study recently published in Science.

Breaking It Down

The recycling process the team used is known as isomerizing ethenolysis, which relies on a catalyst to break down olefin polymer chains into their small molecules. Polyethylene and polypropylene bonds are highly resistant to chemical reactions, because both of these polyolefins have long chains of single carbon-carbon bonds. Most polymers have at least one carbon-carbon double bond, which is much easier to break.

While isomerizing ethenolysis had been tried by the same researchers before, the previous catalysts were expensive metals that did not remain pure long enough to convert all of the plastic into gas. Using sodium on alumina followed by tungsten oxide on silica proved much more economical and effective, even though the high temperatures required for the reaction added a bit to the cost.

In both plastics, exposure to sodium on alumina broke each polymer chain into shorter polymer chains and created breakable carbon-carbon double bonds at the ends. The chains continued to break over and over. Both then underwent a second process known as olefin metathesis. They were exposed to a stream of ethylene gas flowing into a reaction chamber while being introduced to tungsten oxide on silica, which resulted in the breakage of the carbon-carbon bonds.

The reaction breaks all the carbon-carbon bonds in polyethylene and polypropylene, with the carbon atoms released during the breaking of these bonds ending up attached to molecules of ethylene. “The ethylene is critical to this reaction, as it is a coreactant,” researcher R.J. Conk, one of the authors of the study, told Ars Technica. “The broken links then react with ethylene, which removes the links from the chain. Without ethylene, the reaction cannot occur.”

The entire chain is catalyzed until polyethylene is fully converted to propylene, and polypropylene is converted to a mixture of propylene and isobutylene.

This method has high selectivity—meaning it produces a large amount of the desired product: propylene derived from polyethylene, and both propylene and isobutylene derived from polypropylene. Both of these chemicals are in high demand; propylene is an important raw material for the chemical industry, while isobutylene is a frequently used monomer in many different polymers, including synthetic rubber and a gasoline additive.

Mixing It Up

Because plastics are often mixed at recycling centers, the researchers wanted to see what would happen if polypropylene and polyethylene underwent isomerizing ethenolysis together. The reaction was successful, converting the mixture into propylene and isobutylene, with slightly more propylene than isobutylene.

Mixtures also typically include contaminants in the form of additional plastics. So the team also wanted to see whether the reaction would still work if there were contaminants. They experimented with plastic objects that would otherwise be thrown away, including a centrifuge and a bread bag, both of which contained traces of other polymers besides polypropylene and polyethylene. The reaction yielded only slightly less propylene and isobutylene than it did with unadulterated versions of the polyolefins.

Another test involved introducing different plastics, such as PET and PVC, to polypropylene and polyethylene to see if that would make a difference. These did lower the yield significantly. If this approach is going to be successful, then all but the slightest traces of contaminants will have to be removed from polypropylene and polyethylene products before they are recycled.

While this recycling method sounds like it could prevent tons upon tons of waste, it will need to be scaled up enormously for this to happen. When the research team increased the scale of the experiment, it produced the same yield, which looks promising for the future. Still, we’ll need to build considerable infrastructure before this could make a dent in our plastic waste.

“We hope that the work described … will lead to practical methods for … [producing] new polymers,” the researchers said in the same study. “By doing so, the demand for production of these essential commodity chemicals starting from fossil carbon sources and the associated greenhouse gas emissions could be greatly reduced.”

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

An older resource I was surprised to not already have saved!

(Listen at the link!)

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, physicians and other health professionals have continued to stress the everyday necessity and importance of wearing masks to protect against the spread of SARS-CoV-2. While reusable cloth masks have been recommended until recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other experts acknowledge N95, KN95 or KF94 masks provide the most protection when in public indoor spaces given how transmissible the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant is.

With National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved N95 masks no longer in short supply, CDC guidance provides that people may choose to wear a NIOSH-approved N95 mask for personal use instead of a cloth mask. N95 masks filter up to 95% of particles in the air when approved by NIOSH and proper fit can be achieved. People should be aware, though, that about 60% of KN95 masks in the United States are counterfeit and do not meet NIOSH standards.

In fact, N95 and KN95 masks were found to be 48% more effective than surgical or cloth masks, according to a CDC study. Wearing an N95 or KN95 mask reduces the odds of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 by 83%. This is compared with 66% for surgical masks and 56% for cloth masks, further pushing the need to swap out such face coverings for an N95 or KN95 mask for protection from SARS-CoV-2.

The AMA’s What Doctors Wish Patients Knew™ series provides physicians with a platform to share what they want patients to understand about today’s health care headlines, especially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this installment, two AMA members took time to share what patients should know about wearing N95 or KN95 masks, which are types of specialized filtering masks that doctors and others in health care call respirators. They are:

Louito Edje, MD, a family physician and associate dean of graduate medical education at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Luis Seija, MD, an internal medicine and pediatrics resident at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Dr. Seija is also a delegate for the AMA Resident and Fellow Section and the AMA Minority Affairs Section. There’s added protection with N95s “Now, more than ever, we need to decrease the transmission of COVID-19,” said Dr. Edje, noting that “Omicron is the most contagious of the variants, so far. It is three times higher than that of the Delta variant and the second most contagious virus known to man, only second to measles.

“This is the reason that N95s are recommended for use by the general public,” she added, noting that “N95 masks offer the highest level of protection because they protect against both large and small particles rather than just large particles.”

Additionally, N95 masks “are made of multiple layers of a synthetic fiber called polypropylene and if they are worn as instructed, they block 95% of particles in the air from passing through,” said Dr. Edje.

KN95 and KF94 masks also protect It is also important to note that “international brands of N95s are KN95s—certified in China—and KF94s, which are certified in South Korea,” said Dr. Edje. “The KN95 and KF94 masks block 94% of particles in the air.”

But be mindful of “masks with valves that make them easier to breathe through,” she said. That’s because “they don’t filter the air the wearer breathes out and are not recommended.”

Make sure the mask covers your face “All masks should cover the face from the bridge of the nose—where glasses would sit—to under the chin,” said Dr. Edje. “The wearer should be able to turn his or her head to either side, and up and down without the mask gaping at the edges.”

With N95s, “do not twist the loops to tighten the mask as this produces gaps and decreases the effectiveness of a mask by about 60%,” she said.

N95s can be fitted “N95 masks can be specifically fit to a person’s face, fit-tested, as they are for health care workers,” said Dr. Edje. “This means there is a process whereby the wearer’s ability to smell and taste certain substances in the air is tested while they are wearing the N95.”

“Typically, bearded individuals have to shave to be properly fit-tested,” she said. “Only 1% of an infectious dose of COVID-19 will be able to penetrate a fitted N95 mask and it will take 2,500 hours of exposure for this transmission to occur.”

“A nonfit-tested N95 will protect the wearer from an infected individual who is also wearing an N95, for 25 hours of exposure,” said Dr. Edje. “This is in contrast to two unmasked individuals—one infected and one not infected—who can only be together for 15 minutes without the uninfected becoming infected.”

Always wear in public spaces “If the wearer will be indoors, in an unventilated space, in a home with a person who is quarantined or isolating in an area where known exposure is likely, it is recommended to mask continuously,” said Dr. Edje. “Additionally, if one is emerging from quarantine or isolation, masks should be worn until day 10.”

“For health care workers, we can try to at least dispose of our N95 every day or after a one-time use,” said Dr. Seija. “But say you’re going to get three or four—meaning you’re going to get it from the government—you’re going to have to be diligent and aware of when to use or not to use them to optimize protection against COVID.”

“The CDC recommends that we consider using high-filtration respirators anytime that we are going out into public,” he said. “That is what we have learned, especially with Omicron.”

Watch out for counterfeits The unfortunate reality is counterfeit masks are widely available. That is why it is important to be mindful of what to be on the lookout for when identifying if an N95 mask might be fake.

The AMA worked with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to help physicians identify counterfeit respirators. Purchasing a mask directly from a NIOSH-approved manufacturer is the best way to ensure you are not getting a counterfeit mask.

Try to relax when wearing N95s “The biggest thing when it comes to breathing is there’s probably a sense of anxiety or suffocating that comes with it,” said Dr. Seija. “And that’s a totally natural reaction, particularly for people who are not used to it.

“But we’re heading towards the direction where this is our new normal, so the most important consideration about wearing a respirator is how does it fit? Is it comfortable for you?” Dr. Seija said as he modeled a mask that caused his ears to stick out. “This is too small for me and it’s too tight. “I can use this if I need to, but it’s not going to be the right fit for me, and it is going to affect how I breathe.”

That’s why, when wearing N95s, people should “try to be relaxed and breathe as normally as possible,” said Dr. Edje, noting that it is important to “make sure it fits snuggly but does not leave gaps.”

“I often tell patients there’s a stepwise approach to wearing N95s,” said Dr. Seija. “If you’re not comfortable, try walking around in your house or somewhere that you’re comfortable and you feel safe first.”

Better seal helps prevent glasses fog “Most people—at the beginning of the pandemic—when they started wearing masks, their glasses would get foggy,” said Dr. Seija. “While the fog is annoying, it also reflects that your seal is not good enough.

“What you can do is put on your mask first with your glasses off,” he said. “Then get your seal in place firmly against your nose and cheeks, and then you’ll be good.”

Additionally, “to decrease the likelihood of this happening, washing the glasses with soapy water can decrease water tension and decrease the fogging,” said Dr. Edje, adding that it is also key to “wear glasses over the mask.”

Irritation happens with improper fit Sometimes when wearing a mask, there can be irritation on the face. Other times, if the mask is too tight, people can experience headaches.

“There’s a couple reasons why this happens and the primary one is that you’re not fitted for the right mask,” said Dr. Seija, who noted that “if I wore a small mask, I would pass out.”

“What we actually recommend, especially with the N95s, is that you have to make sure that you have your seal. If you don’t have a proper seal, then you’re increasing your risk of COVID exposure and potential transmission,” he said. “And you’re going to feel some sense of tightness, but you have to see what you’re willing to tolerate.”

Touch ear loops when removing KN95s “When removing a used mask, be sure to only touch the ear loops or ties,” said Dr. Edje. This is so that you do “not get contaminated with virus particles from the outside of the respirator.”

And make sure you “do not keep the respirator tucked under your chin for any reason,” she said, noting that it must be worn to cover your nose and mouth.

Cloth masks are better than nothing “We also have to recognize that wearing an N95 is not realistic for all,” said Dr. Seija. “For some people, a surgical mask or cloth mask is more sustainable—that is all they have.”

“And that’s where other things come in like double masking by wearing a cloth mask over a surgical mask,” he said. “Because the thing is, wearing any type and/or combination of masks is better than no mask.”

“A multilayered, tightly woven cloth mask—such as cotton—is better than no mask,” said Dr. Edje, adding that N95 masks offer the best protection against infection and there has been a shift in guidance since the emergence of the Omicron variant.”

If a person is wearing a cloth mask, remember that “cloth masks should be washed daily and fully dried,” she said.

Wear a mask for your loved ones “You have to really take a look at the risk and benefits as well as your own personal responsibility to be wearing a mask,” said Dr. Seija. “What I ask myself and others is: Who do you wear a mask for?

“I wear a mask for my mom. I'm here in New York, but I wear a mask for my mom,” he added. “As someone who has gotten COVID twice now, she's the person that I can wear a mask for even though I'm here and she is in Texas.”

Visit the AMA COVID-19 resource center for clinical information, guides and resources, and updates on advocacy and medical ethics.

Learn more from the CDC about how to wear your N95 mask so it is most effective.

[queenofsquids]

Hey, I've been curious with the recent dream besties reviews, what's wrong with polypropylene hair ? I'm more from the bjd side of doll collecting and I've never really learn about doll hair fibers beyond natural vs synthetic. Thanks for the help ♡ Love your blog ♡

Hey thank you 💚 And the short answer is that it degrades and falls apart in a couple decades, and is unpleasant to handle in the meantime but here's a good @dollsahoy video about it:

[twyla-boogieman]

Let's talk about Frankie's yellowing hair problem.

It's unfortunately not the glue seepage as it's also happening to g2, which did away with the dreaded glue head. Saran is already an off-white when it's white, and it wasn't that noticeable at first, especially against her green skin. There is also the fact that I prefer the off-white to the stark white for most of their dolls.

This is a lineup of g1 original elastic hips Frankie, g2 from the dance line, g3 that I got for Christmas, and a g3 skultimate secrets I picked up around Halloween I think? Maybe longer.

The g3 SS doll, as you can see, has the whitest hair of the lot even if it's older [has been outside and in sunlight more. Idk when the batches were made] Then the g3 basic. That's because they unfortunately have polypropylene. I don't have any dolls with white poly hair, so I don't know how long it's going to stay that bright, but I'm willing to bet it lasts longer than the saran.

That being said, I think I still prefer the saran for now due to texture and how well the fiber holds. I will say against their new blue skin tone, the yellow stands out a bit more imo.

Just a wild comparison shot to g1 Frankie

Now some of you who want to avoid yellowing hair might think "Oh, but what about nylon?

Well I wondered this too so I wnt and grabbed my Rainbow High dolls with white hair to check it out and we'll it doesn't seem so bad but it's also not as old as G1 but there is a noticeable difference between Heather and Amaya who are about 3 years apart, though Amaya is a rescue who had been previously played with. So that might factor in some.

Though notably amaya and g3 Frankie have similar shades of white currently so we're already staring off brighter with Nylon as she came out around 2019.

[thecursedprince]

Disney Wish: Asha Limited Edition Doll 🌟✨

Releasing November 5, 2024 🇬🇧

Edition Size: 2,100

USA Date Coming Soon

Shine like a star and celebrate Wish with this limited-edition Asha doll. Follow Asha on her quest to Rosas, the extraordinary kingdom of wishes. What lies ahead is an adventure that requires a leap of faith. Asha and Star are presented with fine craftsmanship and detailing, varied fabrics and embroidered accents. Disney Artists are proud to present this fine doll that is sure to be treasured by fans and collectors.Magic in the details

Inspired by Disney Animation Studios' animated feature Wish (2023)

Limited edition of 2,100

Certificate of Authenticity

Asha doll

Expressive sculpting and fine detailing

Deluxe costume with textured fabrics

Gathered tunic with contrast long sleeves

Embroidered accents

Pleated print underskirt

Moulded belt with cord trim

Metallic beaded necklace

Finely styled braided hair

Rooted eylashes

Moulded shoes

Includes translucent Star and wand accessories

Doll stand

Collectors' window display packaging with golden foil accents and satin carry ribbon

Created for Disney Store

The bare necessities

Asha: H40.5cm approx.

Star: H2.5cm approx.

Packaging: H47.5 x W28 x D14.5cm approx.

Made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS plastic), polypropylene (PP) and polyester

Safety

Warning: Not a toy - keep away from children

Item No. 416148180786

[mythosidhesdollhouse]

What I'm working on today (ADHD brain can't stick to one project for long)--

The amazing @maleficentmrsofallevil kindly offered to share her recent Goodwill haul of Barbies in crocheted dresses with me, and they arrived yesterday. Our models are an auburn-haired Cut and Style Barbie from 1994 (ID'd by @dollsahoy); an unknown blonde Barbie of similar vintage judging by her face; and a no-name hollow bodied fashion doll sadly ravaged by an advanced case of poly rot. Plus a bonus Steffi Love along for the ride XD

These girls and their gowns are going to require a bit of work before they're ready for display, but I enjoy this sort of challenge.

A few closeups and some discussion of hair care--

The dresses are currently drying out after a thorough cleaning, so we'll talk more about them in a later post. As for our new/old Barbaras! It's been a long time since I handled dolls with this face sculpt, and I'd forgotten how adorable they can be. I wasn't sure I was going to use these dolls to display the dresses, but now that I have them in hand I wouldn't consider doing anything else. Though whether they will remain in the dresses they started out with is a question I haven't resolved yet.

Aside from washing the dresses, I also gave our girls a bath, and began the process of restoring their hair.

How it started....

...and how it's going XD

Not all the way there, but still a vast improvement from their original dull and frizzy state.

On their next spa day the ladies will be joined by the future occupant of the third dress, my old Starlight Carousel Barbie from 1997.

As for that dress's original occupant, aside from her hair turning to dust (THIS is the eventual fate of polypropylene hair!), I'm afraid she did not survive extraction from said dress, which she was sewn into, intact. We shall not speak of her again.

And then there's Steffi Love. Honestly not sure what I'm going to do with her at the moment. I don't have a Steffi in my collection already, so I might dress her and let her hang around as is...but she does have reasonably good articulation, so she might end up as a body donor for a more interesting head XD We'll see how I feel about it in a few days.

[papermint-airplane]

How it started

How it's going

Ok put the phone down. I don't need to be 5150'd, I promise this is all totally normal. I don't post about my doll collecting on here much but I collect Barbies. Specifically, I collect Barbies with face sculpts that I like. I don't collect any one particular line (although Barbie Looks has stolen my heart and several of my dollars), I just collect whatever I find pretty.

I had this Tennis Barbie in my "body donor" stash since last year

because the Barbie Made to Move bodies have great articulation and make for great posing. I kinda just bought her on sale when she came out and had no plans for her until I saw this doll

who was just released and is the perfect skintone match. Gorgeous face + articulated body = beautiful poseable doll. What could go wrong?

Well. I actually wasn't planning on rerooting this doll. I mean sure, her hair is garbage quality, thin, feels awful, and has super choppy ends like a three year old with safety scissors got a hold of it, but I am chickenshit. I didn't want to run the risk of ruining a gorgeous doll because I've only ever rerooted one other doll in my life and I'm not that confident in my skills. I figured I'd just pop her head off, plop it on the tennis body, and call it a day. Her hair being garbage doesn't matter when I'm just posing her and putting her on a shelf, only taking her down to redress her or change her pose occasionally.

For all the normies out there, getting a doll's head off its body requires heat to make the vinyl squishy so you can slip it off the peg in the neck. Usually, you'd use hot or boiling water for this but since the hair was such trash, I was afraid to put it in boiling water. I was afraid it would melt.

Foreshadowing is a literary device-

I used a hairdryer instead.

And the fucking hair melted.

I have no idea what happened. I have used the hair dryer method to remove a doll's head before and everything went fine. Maybe I used too high of a setting. Maybe I held it too close to the doll. Or maybe Mattel cheaped out and used polypropylene instead of saran and it was doomed from the start. Or the fact that I'm an idiot once again reared its ugly head. Or all of the above factors came together in a perfect storm of ineptitude.

Regardless, I had no choice but to chop off all the factory hair and start over. My poor little doll is now sitting hairless and bodyless on my kitchen table waiting for her new (nylon!!!) hair to come in the mail from Shimmer Locks.

I'll post a picture of her with her hair all did when I...get it did.

The moral of the story is "don't trust Laura with anything".

[vasyandii]

KruegerNak FIC- PLUMERIA

Synopsis: Nak tries a cigarette, talks before a mission.

Warnings: Mentioning of Drugs, Smoking, Violence, Murder

Word Count: 1,000+

Type: Casual, dialogue heavy

Characters: Sebastian Krueger, Phayvanh "Nak" Sotsvahn

Creator Notes: This is actually the most I've ever written in my life xD have fun

Sop Ruak; Chiang Saen, Thailand. It’s the heart of The Golden Triangle; Laos was just across from where they stood. Nausea rarely gripped her, but being here was too close for comfort. The Mekong River was the only thing separating her from what she had two years ago.

It felt familiar, almost nostalgic—if she could even call it that.

She's never been fond of Counter Narcotics Operations; interdictions specifically. Nikolai proposed that Phayvanh's first hand experience with this area would be useful during their time in the East. The setup, at least for larger trafficking operations, was always the same; outdoor labs, “product” stored in barrels or polypropylene woven sacks.

Maybe her feelings are more akin to regret.

“Light.” Sebastian requests, leaning against the guard rails overlooking the Mekong, an unlit tip of a cigarette dangling from his lips. That snapped her out of her introspection.

She pats her pockets, nothing. Fuck, was it like her to be so forgetful?

“Don't got one.”

“Right.” He murmurs, retrieving his own to light for himself.

“Why even ask?” Phayvanh squints, scowling.

A smirk plays across his lips, tendrils of smoke spiraling from them, “I like it when you light them for me.”

That son of a bitch.

“Drop dead.” She mutters, not wanting to look at him after his ridiculous confession.

That got a chuckle out of Sebastian before a silence settled in. It felt uncomfortable, something she’s not used to feeling with him. Maybe it's just her.

It wasn't like she could ignore and forget where she was even for a moment– the humidity in the air, the smell of leaves that were too sickeningly sweet– it's all overwhelming. Not to mention that damn sight in front of them. Maybe that's why he smokes? It Feels like she could break out in hives or have her hair turn gray.

“May I?” She holds out her hand.

Sebastian gives her a skeptical look, cigarette perched comfortably between his fingers. “Thought you didn't do shit like this.”

“You're going to die sooner because of it, might as well catch up.” Phayvanh utters, waving a dismissive hand.

“Fair.” He hands her what remains of his cigarette.

Her fingers awkwardly held it up; more familiar with handing them out than holding one. Phayvanh tentatively brought the borrowed cigarette to her lips. As she inhaled, a harsh burn seared her throat, and a sudden fit of coughing overtook her. The acrid taste lingered, catching her off guard.

“You're supposed to inhale, you know.” Sebastian watches with amusement.

She couldn't help but shoot him an exasperated glare between coughs; a miserable attempt of recovery as the acrid sting from the back of her throat shoots back out.

“So much for trying to catch up with me, huh, Schatzi?” He teased, retrieving what remained from the cigarette , Sebastian expertly drew another lungful before tossing it somewhere on the ground.

"So much for that" She grumbles, finally being able to speak properly.

Krueger smirks, nudging her shoulder with his.

“Want to try that again?” He goads, giving the end of her ponytail a light tug.

Phayvanh swats his hand away “Not really. I thought it'd have more..you know.”

"Tastes like shit and kills you slowly, Phay." He shrugs. "It doesn't offer much in the realm of comfort or relief.”

"I want it to." She sighs, overlooking the Mekong."I feel like I'm back to where I started again.”

A silence settles between them, only the hum of insects and faint splashing of water. "This place isn't Laos," Sebastian says finally after what felt like an eternity.

"But that place is." Phayvanh's eyes direct him to look the strip of land across the river. “And we have to go back there.”

Sebastian follows her gaze. "Are you up for it?" He doesn’t add anything, just leaves the question to hang there in the space between them

The words seem to not want to come out. Phayvanh makes a vague gesture with her hands, hoping he gets what she's trying to say.

"Wow, you should become a spokesperson. Really got me raring to go." he says with a dry grin.

“Don’t be a dick.” She complains, wanting to sulk a little longer.

"Too late for that," Sebastian retorts,the smirk on his face tightens; he gazes at Phayvanh as if he's challenging her to toss another insult.

“I don’t know where I stand in this anymore,” she vents out.

“Bullshit.” Krueger cuts through any potential excuse or argument Nak could throw up against him. “Right now is not the time for a fucking existential crisis."

His curt tone stings worse than when she had taken a puff from earlier -

“What if he's there?” She gives him an incredulous expression- just what right does he have giving life lectures?

Sebastian's gaze sharpens. He doesn't need to ask who she is referring to - he knows.

The snake of the Laotian underworld, mingled with blood and fear.

“He’d kill me.”

“Not if I’m there.” Sebastian chuckles

"He’d kill you first."

"Then we kill him," he replies, as if they were discussing the weather instead of plotting murder.

“..What?” She takes a step back.

Phayvanh had to do a double take at Sebastian's words. Kill him? She was lucky enough Kapano didn't send anyone after her the first time she tried.

"We kill Vang." he repeated,

"No." She lets out a small laugh of disbelief, it eased her more than she liked to admit "Is the heat getting to your head? There's no guarantee we'll even run into him.”

"No guarantee, no," Sebastian concedes with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. He then leans in to look at her directly.

"But you and I both know this world isn't kind enough for sweet coincidences." His voice lowered into a whisper "This is your chance Nak-- One bullet- just one can send him straight back to the sty he slithered out from”

"What, so we go out of our way to find him? I can't do that Sebastian." Phayvanh reasoned, crossing her arms.

"That bastard has had a chokehold on your neck since you were old enough to walk,” Sebastian retorts, he knows he's not wrong “It's deserved.”

She wasn't stupid. Naga would cut off the hand she used to stab him with. Then he would use it to do the same thing she did to him years ago; he'd get away with it as well.

“It's not about that, I could lose my job. Isn't this against protocol?" She reminds “He's not a target.”

"No one's going to care if that bastard drops dead, Phay." He urged her

It was clear she considered it for a second.

"I'll take care of it- You just have to be there with me. Like always.”

“You wouldn't.”

"You underestimate me." Sebastian scoffs. "I’d have his head put on a tray for you, Phayvanh.”