Chapter 1
Ancient hoops and sacred circles
Chapter 2
The plastic explosion of 1958
Chapter 3
The modern hoop renaissance
YOUR GOAL
Master of The evolution of the hula hoop
Ch 2 · The plastic explosion of 1958
torito 1958 Hula Hoop Plastic Explosion
Back in '58, a toy went wild, hey! / The Hula Hoop craze, plastic's child!
torito A newly invented plastic allowed Wham-O to mass-produce durable, colorful hoops.
BETA
torito Play Global Hoop Boom! Shoot hoops and learn world geography in this exciting educational game. Challenge your skills and explore the globe today!
Fun Fact
Trademark miss: Wham-O could not secure a patent for the hula hoop because circular toys had existed for thousands of years.
Glossary
hula hoop (noun)
A large hoop spun around the body, especially the waist, by gyrating the hips. In 1958, Wham-O catalyzed a global toy craze by mass-producing the plastic hoops.
A large hoop spun around the body, especially the waist, by gyrating the hips. In 1958, Wham-O catalyzed a global toy craze by mass-producing the plastic hoops.
Quiz
What was the trade name of the high-density polyethylene plastic used to make Wham-O's first hoops?
Quiz
Who were the two founders of the Wham-O toy company that popularized the hula hoop?
Quiz
In which country did Wham-O founders find the bamboo inspiration for the modern hula hoop?