Play-Doh, also known as Play-Dough, is a modeling compound for young children to make arts and crafts projects. The product was first manufactured in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, as a wallpaper cleaner in the 1930s.

Following World War II, the demand for wallpaper cleaning putty shrank substantially. The increasing popularity of natural gas in heating applications and corresponding reduction of coal use resulted in a decrease of indoor soot build-up in homes and businesses. The introduction of washable vinyl-based wallpaper further rendered many such specialized cleaning products unnecessary. McVicker's nephew, Joe McVicker, joined Kutol with the remit to save the company from bankruptcy. Joe McVicker was the brother-in-law of nursery school teacher Kay Zufall, who had seen a newspaper article about making art projects with the wallpaper cleaning putty. Her students enjoyed it, and she persuaded Noah McVicker (who also sold the putty) and Joe McVicker to manufacture it as a child’s toy. and Woodward & Lothrop, a department store in Washington, DC began selling the compound. In 1956, the McVickers formed the Rainbow Crafts Company to make and sell Play-Doh. Also in 1956, a three-pack of 7-ounce cans was added to the product line, and, after in-store demonstrations, Macy's of New York and Marshall Field's of Chicago opened retail accounts. In 1957, chemist Dr. Tien Liu reduced Play-Doh's salt content (thus allowing models to dry without losing their color), and Play-Doh ads were telecast on Captain Kangaroo, Ding Dong School, and Romper Room. In 1958, Play-Doh's sales reached nearly $3 million. Also in 1965, the food company General Mills bought Rainbow Crafts for $3 million. In 1991, Hasbro became the owner of Play-Doh, putting the compound under its Playskool brand, and continues to manufacture the product today.

More than two billion cans of Play-Doh were sold between 1955 and 2005,

Play-Doh was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong in Rochester, New York, in 1998.

In 2003, the Toy Industry Association placed Play-Doh into its "Century of Toys List", a roll call of the 100 most memorable and most creative toys of the twentieth century.

In late 2014, the company offered to replace the "Play-Doh Cake Mountain" playset's extruder tool, for free, after receiving complaints about the tool's "phallic shape".

Scent

To mark Play-Doh's fiftieth anniversary, Demeter Fragrance Library created a limited-edition fragrance inspired by Play-Doh's distinctive odor for "highly-creative people, who seek a whimsical scent reminiscent of their childhood."

In 2018, Hasbro registered Play-Doh's signature scent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. It's described as a "combination of a sweet, slightly musky, vanilla-like fragrance, with slight overtones of cherry, and the natural smell of a salted, wheat-based dough." By 1992, Play Doh Pete's beret was recolored in blue, and his eyes were given a more human look. Later in 2000, Play-Doh Pete's beret was replaced with a baseball cap. Play-Doh Pete later retired and was removed in 2003, lasting for 42 years.

Manufacturing

From its launch in 1955 to 2004, the manufacturing of Play-Doh took place in the United States. In 2004, Hasbro ended the production of Play-Doh in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, shifting production to China and Turkey. After a 14-year hiatus, some Play-Doh manufacturing was returned to East Longmeadow in 2018 as part of a partnership with Cartamundi of Belgium.

Ingredients

Play-Doh's current manufacturer, Hasbro, says the compound is primarily a mixture of water, salt, and flour, while its 2004 United States patent indicates it is composed of water, a starch-based binder, a retrogradation inhibitor, salt, lubricant, surfactant, preservative, hardener, humectant, fragrance, and color.

A petroleum additive gives the compound a smooth feel, and borax prevents mold from developing. Play-Doh contains wheat and may cause allergic reactions in people who are allergic to wheat gluten. It is not intended to be eaten.

thumb|Play-Doh Fun Factory

In 1960, the Play-Doh Fun Factory (a toy press that extrudes the compound in various shapes) was invented by Bob Boggild and Bill Dale. The film was eventually cancelled and rejected after the acquisition of Fox's parent company 21st Century Fox by The Walt Disney Company.

On March 17, 2022, it was announced that a new animated film adaptation is in development at Entertainment One and its parent company Hasbro, Emily V. Gordon writing and Jon M. Chu producing and possibly directing.

Series

A game show adaptation produced by Hasbro's former entertainment division Entertainment One started streaming on Amazon Freevee (then known as IMDb TV), called Play-Doh Squished. Initially a holiday special on December 10, 2021, it became a full-length series on November 11, 2022. The competition show is hosted by Sarah Hyland.

See also

  • Milliput
  • Plasticine
  • Play-Doh, sculpture by Jeff Koons
  • Sculpey

References

  • Play-Doh began as wall cleaner | Our History
  • Playmakers Part II: Play-Doh
  • The Accidental Invention of Play-Doh, by David Kindy, smithsonian.com, November 12, 2019