“Pure White”: When Asbestos Was Used As Fake Snow – Design You Trust

“Pure White”: When Asbestos Was Used As Fake Snow


Asbestos Hunter

Although labeled as “Pure White” Snow, the highly fibrous material inside this vintage carton is actually beige; reflecting the fact that it is primarily amosite, amphibole asbestos (also known as “brown asbestos”).

h/t: vintag.es


Asbestos Hunter

Many films shot in the early 20th century, including the likes of The Wizard of Oz, featured their actors being sprinkled with fake snow. Little do viewers realize, this effect was created by showering performers with chrysotile asbestos fibers, small snow like particles that were once used on movie sets, in department store displays, and even in private homes. Everybody wanted to get in on the fake asbestos snow action. And why not? From the mid-1930s to the 1950s, asbestos was seen as a versatile and harmless substance.


Asbestos Hunter

To date, it’s difficult to know the hazard that was presented by asbestos-based fake snow products. Most asbestos products involved some quantity of the fiber being used as part of a chemical compound that bound the fibers together, making them difficult to inhale until the material was damaged. But fake snow, often used in displays or in family homes, was simply pure white asbestos fibre piled up in drifts. Anyone who had any contact was inhaling deadly fibers in quantities normally associated with those working in asbestos mines.


Asbestos Hunter

Thankfully, you can safely shop for fake snow this Christmas knowing you won’t be exposed to asbestos…but spare a thought for the innocent workers and householders of the past, many of whom are still living with the consequences of the 20th century’s addiction to asbestos.


Asbestos Hunter

If you want more awesome content, subscribe to 'Oh, Design You Trust,' our brand new Facebook page! Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

More Inspiring Stories

Shakhti 360 Leti: Luxury Hotel in Himalayas
Scary Photos of a Young Linda Blair as Regan MacNeil in "The Exorcist", 1973
One Of The Oldest Diving Suits In Existence - Called Wanha Herra
Lovely Photos of Halloween Costumes For Kids in the 1960-80s
Iranian Architect Creates Impressive Futuristic Architectural Sketches
This Tiny House Has A Strange Roof But The Reason Is Genius!
The Magdeburg Unicorn: The Worst Fossil Reconstruction Ever
World's Tallest 48-Meter Buddha Statue in Eastern China
"We Do Lockdown": A Razor-Sharp Satire of COVID-19 Lockdown Life Packed Full of Parodies of Vintage Illustrations by Miriam Elia
This Underground Shelter From The 1970s Was Just Listed For $18 Million
Living On The Edge Of The Icelandic Cliffside Retreat
1980s Teenagers And Their Bedroom Walls
Portraits of Lovely Ladies Featured on the Covers of Radio Control Modeler Magazines From the 1970s and 1980s
Star Wars Millennium Falcon-Style Home In Australia
Captivating Vintage Photos of People in Encampment, Wyoming From Between the 1920s and 1930s
"Untypical Girls": Early Photographs Of Women In Punk From Between The Late 1970s And Early 1990s
The Floor Of An Historic Church Transformed Into A Reflective Pool Of Multi-Colored Orbs
Coolest, Weirdest And Fastest Racing And Concept Cars Built In The USSR
The Weird and Badass Gravestones of Russian Mafia
The New Sava River Bridge in Belgrad
This Public Pavilion Covered In Plants Was Designed To Invite People To Sit Inside
Galaxy of Horrors!: NASA Posters Highlight Spooky Alien Planets, Just in Time for Halloween
Floating Piers Opens On Lake Iseo In Italy Allowing Visitors To Walk On Water
Artist Draws Wholesome Watercolor Comics Where A Cat Is Giving Out Mental Health Advice