And he is very confident about which industry is Glitterexs biggest client. John: No, I don't believe that glitter would be a primary offering from those companies. Its going to feel good. Okay. We need another authority. Richard: It's been over 30 years of that. Maybe not! Hes covered Whitey Bulgers gangster reign of terror. Brings me back to my chemistry class and to disco balls in the 1970s. There's a reason that cars in the sun look really nice. Ben: Even though Joes dad was way out in Mohlsdorf-Teichwolframsdorf, as soon as he put out the word that he had some glitter making machines, people were knocking down his door. Ben: Of the handful of companies making glitter, Joe describes his own family's business as the black sheep of the group. The glitter may help with aesthetic purposes if anything. But, previously, there was a family glitter business that my father started in Germany. Josh: So my source says that their colleague did get confirmation from someone at Glitterex that the largest purchasers of Glitterex glitter are boat manufacturers. Ben: If we get into some kind of trouble, will you pick up the phone if we call? Ben: Very shiny. One is called Glitterex. Brannon: Glitterex. A staple of successful children's parties and strip clubs, yet the bane of the ocean's existence, the masked devil that is glitter has drawn controversy, and rightfully so, as this manufactured plastic dustnever biodegrades. Ben: David Boeri is probably known best for spending many years as WBURs senior investigative reporter. Tell me again where the factory is and where the headquarters are? Ben: David, I know that you're a very, very serious investigative journalist. And if you dig deeper, the world of these shimmering bits of plastic is hiding one big secret. David: If you have a little time on your hands, I want you to figure out what the closest bars are. It's that building. Arguing that consumer preferences had changed (there was also a federal law passed in 2015 against microbeads), Crest eliminated microbeads from North American toothpaste by 2016. I feel that they may be the most secretive [glitter company], only because I rarely hear anything about them. Passports? Ben: Hope and friends in low places. The next day, we continued to search through the thread of comments on Reddit for clues. Sand. David: Yeah. When I started out and I wanted information, I started hanging out with cops, state cops and I found out what their watering holes were. Glitter in money. Brannon: I believe their name is Polycryl. Ben: Alright, I love this. A little SECRECY from the automotive paint industry. When asked if she knew the answer, she replied with an "Oh, God yes," followed by what was probably nervous laughter and a "And you would never guess it. The world is running out of sand, in case you needed one more thing to worry about, so the construction industry is increasingly turning to manufactured sand (very fine crushed rock) as a component of concrete. What this article presupposes is: Maybe they use glitter instead. We make solid colors and we also make clears that they can mix different things into to give different effects, whether it's glitter or an automotive metallic. Ben: Has your family's company ever sold the glitter to the automotive paint industry? Ben: I will accept this new moniker as a compliment. The one company [Glitterex], at least the one we knew had the answer, wouldnt give it to us. You're just like, yeah. I have a few sources in the paint industry who have gotten as excited about answering this mystery as we have been. And even though the industrys more competitive now, you can still make good money. You know, one of the great answers to one of the questions I once asked was, "I don't know the answer to that question, but I think I know someone who does.". They are aluminized polyimidesclose cousins of the sheets that are chopped up for party decorations and makeup. You have been subscribed to WBUR Today. I just talked to the guy who has the answers about glitter! Ben: Even worse, Alex told us he was skeptical of the car paint theory. Ben: Damnit Richard. And John is responsible for choosing color options sometimes five or six years in advance of a new car coming out. Maybe not the best day for catching people after work at the bar? It's just funny? Josh Swartz: They had very good news, Ben. Amory (in car): It looked like the building! Amory: Dont get ahead of yourself, glitter boy. (An Esterline representative had not responded to Slate as of press time. A report fromThe Cut recounts an interview with a representative of Glitterexby the name of Ms. Dyer, who did not volunteer nor disclose information about who's responsible for giving the company most of its profit. Ben (in car): What are we doing? Joe: My father quickly discovered that when he inquired about how much he could sell these machines for, people were offering large sums of money mainly to break the machine down and clone it. And so I started hanging out in the watering holes. And lastly,amid the theories, dollar bills are also a possibility. Ben: Yes. For a company known as Glitterex in New Jersey, one of two of the largest glitter-making companies in the world, glitter proves to be a secretive, suspicious business. David: But you know, if you turn over enough rocks, you will find the slugs, the worms and the glitter. Earlier in the decade, online reviewers attested that Crest-brand3D White Vivid toothpaste contained small plastic particles that were getting logged in brushers teeth and gums. Ben: Dumping glitter into resort beach sand to make your Instagram posts sparkle? Amory: So I sent an email but did not hear back. They dont want to let her see the machines or even be on the manufacturing floor, let alone describe how the machines work. Amory: And we asked him about his mysterious fleet of glitter making machines. Ben: So much mystery! The answer of what is it, which we will also discuss further is, briefly, very thin plastic coated in very thin metal. The transcript has been edited from our original script for clarity. Ben: Jeet seems like a nice guy. I'm not calling glitter pink slime, but remember when pink slime happened? Amory: John, I'm wondering though, the pigments and the other types of things that you're talking about, do you source those materials from a glitter company? Thank you and make it a great day. Amory: Or they will welcome us with open arms and tell us all their secrets. The federal trial of the Boston Marathon bomber. Amory: We go there on a Monday. Do you think youre up for it? You gotta admit. So were talking about lots and lots of weight and lots and lots of money! And, in fact, he described glitter as an industry that was insular in part because it was in trouble. Theories. Ben: Essentially, that's what we're doing. My first thought was that, yes this was something that if people found out it was glitter there'd be a little mini freak out and the industry would have to do damage control. John: Its a great flake. Got some on my hands this morning. It raised a lot of questions, especially who this mystery buyer was. Sure, why not? Ben: Richard says that glitter would reflect light, which is not a great way of cloaking yourself. In the cured form, it's a hard shell-like covering on the outside of fiberglass. So I am on the lookout for unusual mysteries, which I think this glitter one definitely fits in that mold. Heads up that some elements (i.e. To help identify people whove been pepper sprayed? But his muck rake was recently traded in for tree trimmers. Then theres very very very expensive flakes. Josh: I don't know for sure, but my guess is that it's less that the boat industry cares and it's more that Glitterex just doesn't want to go revealing their clientele to any old person on the street any old podcast on the street. music, sound effects, tone) are harder to translate to text. Amory: In this front office by the way is a big glass case proudly displaying all of the products that Glitterexs glitter is in. a rollicking dispatch from the Glitterex glitter factory, millions of tiny aluminum- or zinc-coated fibers, protect spacecraft from the temperature extremes. The idea is that you see nothing but glitter. Glitter? Ben: Oooh mysterious! But can we let Frank Ocean sing it for us? To make it hard to counterfeit and give it a cool look. For more of Oonas sarcasm and attempted wit, visit her website oonaoffthecuff.com. Because glitter doesnt go away. Amory: In 2011, Joes dad died. Let's just leave it at that." Ben: OK. But going to the source of the mystery seemed like the fastest, most direct solution. Just trying it out. David: Amory. Brannon: There's two main manufacturers of glitter in the United States. Alex Coburn: Mohlsdorf-Teichwolframsdorf. Ben: She never gets an answer. Ben: 300 gallons of glitter every week, or 15,600 gallons every year, is definitely buying in bulk. Rocket fuel is also on the table. Jers suburbs. And he's like, Yes! And he's pointing to the phone like he's talking to someone on the phone who has really good news. Ben: Effect pigments, glitter, turns out its mostly semantics. Amory: Dont hold your breath on that one. Ben: Joe Coburn, from the Coburn family glitter business RJA Plastics did say he would put us in touch with the current business owner, his younger brother, Alex. We're talking about single lane road. Ben (in car with Amory): God, this is suburbia. Amory: Were doing a story about the glitter industry. Brannon: Think of it like a paint almost. How is it? John: Hey, Im always willing to flake out. I will return your call as soon as possible. But its yeah, I cant., On Twitter, Weaver followed up: Please ask the smartest person in your family what the glitter industrys biggest market is, and reveal their answers here., I went one further: I asked Joe Colleran at Meadowbrook Inventions, the worlds leading glitter manufacturer. Something like that. Amory: And then, Ben caught a lucky break. Glitter was invented by a New Jersey cattle rancher in 1934. Ben: Okay, I wanna shoutout former Endless Thread Intern Noah Baustin who found this Reddit post and the resulting comment thread. For some people, that mysterious "no comment" is whatever. The ultimate cage match between Tonight Show hosts. AMA!. Because a lot of times employees go out to drink on their way home. . Another use that's been argued is sand. Ben: Oh my God! The sparkly particles aren't fun and games when it comes to marine life. Customers are buying tons of glitter over the course of years. But he knows a lot about the business. Please leave your name, your number, and a brief message. Amory: And here is where we hit another dead end. If you have information about industrial glitter use, please contact us here. And you would never guess it. Ben: Eventually, we did find someone who picked up and would totally talk to us. Theyre engineered to duplicate how color comes off of butterfly wings or insects. The following exchange ensues when Weaver asks Glitterex manager Lauren Dyer why she cant disclose this enigmatic buyer: Dyer: Because they dont want anyone to know that its glitter., Weaver: If I looked at it, I wouldnt know it was glitter?, Weaver: Would I be able to see the glitter?, Dyer: Oh, youd be able to see something. That stuff is called chaff and its reflective. Ben: That's what we're here for, right? Amory: Yes! Ben: Heres why I was so excited. ), Spacecraft. Amory: Were hoping to talk to the woman who was interviewed in that New York Times story or the owner of the company, a guy named Babu. I've also read that thread on the Glitterex article. I live in Queens, New York. 100 experts had killed theories and given us 100 more. Our username is. Ben: Are you gonna tell us that Blue Velvet is gonna be out but Ocean Spray is gonna be in in 2025, or something like that? Amory: Joes family is rooted in the Northeast with connections to The Garden State or, shall we say, the glitter state. When asked if she knew the answer, she replied with an "Oh, God yes," followed by what was probably nervous laughter and a "And you would never guess it. And it was titled, Im a glitter manufacturer. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. And that's how I got into the state police Bulger Task Force. I am an independent writer. Glitter stays around. Ben's voicemail for Amory: Oh! You cant spell glitter without litter. Amory: So much mystery you're creating here, Alex! This is odd. Its nothing so interesting, he says. I have a G.P.S. An industry that, according to a company rep at Glitterex, doesnt really want people to know theyre using glitter. Why am I listening to you? It's a great flake! Amory: His grandfather and his father were both in the business of manufacturing various reflective materials but not glitter. Amory: This was an Ask Me Anything thread. But were talking about an industry where the final product isnt obviously made of glitter. John Thomas: Were pretty big. Amory: Time to call some car paint companies! No matter what the glitter industry may be hiding from us, let's hope whatever it's nestled in is making the thing more "fabulous.". Ben: Brannon says almost all the customers he deals with buy glitter from Polycryl. Ben: Paint. If you look at a dollar, there are small streaks of glitter-sembling markings. He just said that it's something that you're selling something by the gram for a lot of money. Amory: Weve learned that, yet again, sometimes the journey is much more intriguing than the destination. People would freak out if they knew that something they thought was valuable or that they consume in their bodies was, in part, this metallic or plastic glitter. We want to hear from you! But there they were in this part of Germany, which is, out in the boondocks. There's been talk that toothpaste contains glitter, and visually that wouldn't be too much of a surprise. As a cloaking agent or paint for vehicles. One of my favorite subreddits is the Unresolved Mysteries subreddit. And after all our work, if he sits down atop a mountain of glitter with his dad, Babu, and they listen to the episode, Id like to hope they wouldnt even be mad at us. Ben: It was a long drive back to Boston. John: Yeah effect pigments, that is definitely what we're talking about here. Ben: Greg also made a prediction: that its totally possible the answer to our fundamental question is boring. Brannon Pittman: My name is Brannon Pittman. Theres just not enough complicated societal sexual feelings in the world to make it rain for glitter! It gets more satisfying of an answer the more you say it. Ben: And is it both now, is it cosmetic and protective? But for us, it's CATNIP. For the same reason, right? Its a long process. Sure. Our email to Jeet. This would also distinguish counterfeit money from, you know- real, 15 Back-To-School Movies and TV Episodes to Finish Summer Break, Why You'll Never Buy A Home | Honest Ads (VIDEO), DC's Original League Of Super-Pets Was Insane, The Tonight Show: 20 Fav Moments From Allen To Fallon, THE WORLD'S BIGGEST GLITTER BUYER IS A BIZARRE MYSTERY. We're trying to answer this question for thousands and thousands of Redditors. Amory: Im Amory Sivertson. Amory: It still struck us as weird that glitter as an industry is so secretive. Receptionist: Yeah. I'm a technical director, chemist, for a company called HK Research Corporation who makes polyester gel coats for the marine and fiberglass, cast polymer industries. Did someone say aluminum-coated fibers? If you look at a dollar, there are small streaks of glitter-sembling markings. Too expensive. Theyre on vacation too. The gold and silver sheets you often see on NASA equipment protect spacecraft from the temperature extremes of outer space. In the Dec. 21 New York Times, Caity Weaver has a rollicking dispatch from the Glitterex glitter factory, which reveals the true nature of glitteraluminum metalized polyethylene terephthalatebefore hinting at a greater mystery: a top-secret industrial glitter use that accounts for most of the companys sales. Currently I own a casting company with my wife. Amory: But John says they dont use glitter in their paint, per se. We're from a public radio station in Boston. Maybe! Where is it? Joe: So my name is Joe Coburn. She added that you'd see some trace of glitter if you knew what it was. And he builds a glitter company in Germany with a fleet of new machines. But he wouldnt let them get close enough to understand how the machine worked. The glitter may help with aesthetic purposes if anything. Jeet: Yes. For glitter paint? You can find more of their work on Reddit orInstagram. Ben: By the way, we offered Glitterex the chance to confirm or deny our findings. Amory: You know what we want before we do! That is, not until his dad was sent to clean up a failed business they attempted to launch in Germany where he made a fateful discovery. The Devil cuts a material you cant tell us about. And it's kind of like West Virginia. Amory: The herpes of craft supplies is the topic of an INSANELY POPULAR Reddit post from almost a year ago. Amory: Ho ho! I mean, you can tap it and it's extremely hard. Not good for anybody. Ben: Glitter, glitter, glitter, glitter, glitter. A July Research and Markets industry report notes that the largest end-uses for metalized films include food packaging, decoration, and cosmetics. But what's so secretive about shiny particles? Ben: Almost sight unseen. I currently live in Toledo, Ohio. Sand, after all, can be manufactured from concrete and made into fine rock particles. And why even if you could, you probably shouldn't. Brannon: I know how much boat manufacturers use, especially the bass boat manufacturers. Josh: Glitter paint. Amory: Because they dont want anyone to know that its glitter. (Procter & Gamble PR did not respond to a request for comment by press time.). In part because the paint or pigment industry was getting better and better at making cheaper products. Where are you guys from? Money. We're hoping to talk to one of them. David: If you're an investigative reporter or detective, you are driven by the certainty that almost all things are knowable. For todays episode, I will only answer to Glitter Boy. Amory: Basically, all sorts of car companies, from Audi to Volkswagen, hire paint companies like PPG to make paint for their cars. Ben: So were not playing it super cool, like muckraker reporters who are playing the long game. He was doing some machining work and found that grinding up trash made some particular kinds of trash sparkle. Ben: You also noticed that comedian Demetri Martin has something on this same topic. Ben: So you're not convinced that your daughter's packet of glitter is somehow involved in tens of millions of dollars of military equipment, maybe hundreds of millions? In New Jersey. Industry-wide, were talking glitter-palooza. I'm a senior lecturer at the Questrom School of Business at Boston University. All of which were theories floated in the thread. Ben: Not gonna lie. Amory: This particular factory, Glitterex, is located in Cranford, New Jersey. Small manufacturers protect client information to protect business. Makeup, for instance. Zach Brooke: My name is Zach Brooke. Ben: The more you say it the weirder it gets! And well done, Caity, because there's this one intriguing moment in her piece that launched this whole discussion on Reddit with thousands and thousands of comments. Greeting cards. Amory: Other than the growing competition, we asked Alex about his industrys greatest challenge. This would also distinguish counterfeit money from, you know- realglitterymoney. Amory: Even Brannons company buys glitter for some of its gel coat products. Is that just how business works? Works in Washington at the Teal Group doing aviation technology analysis. David: One is you gotta go into the court system and scour the system for cases involving that company or the president of that company Where did he go to graduate school? Did you catch the topic of todays episode? So, maybe the companys biggest customer isnt really such a big mystery after all. But also, thank you, Richard. As our. The r/UnresolvedMysteries post about the glitter mystery, "What Is Glitter," by Caity Weaver in The New York Times Magazine (12/21/18), Send us a direct message on Reddit. Amory: Boat paint. Amory: We were really screwed. Instead, it finds its way into the sea and into the bellies of fish who surely aren't craving microplastics for dinner. No one has been able to find any answers until now! They use something called effect pigments.. It would attract attention not avoid it. Getting used to it. Zach: I will always think of glitter as something that you use you know in daycare or early education when you're making like little homemade birthday cards for mom, you know. So people on the thread really dig in. And a mystery that popped up that hasnt been solved. He understands the industry. And so one of them said their company does buy glitter from Glitterex. Ben: As it turns out, the Coburn family business has a pretty strange and winding story a story thats intertwined with the history of glitter and the history of secrecy surrounding the glitter industry. Sand, after all, can be manufactured from concrete and made into fine rock particles. Ben: So if you're a Reddit fan, you should listen to the show anyway. Amory: No, I absolutely know that I cant. Seems like were headed in the right direction. Joes dad let perspective buyers view the machines in an old barn, through a window. Because its a secretive industry and selling those secrets pisses people off. But we did solve it right? If what we don't know can't hurt us, that doesn't mean it won't, The Cut recounts an interview with a representative of Glitterex. Or, of course, we could take Meadowbrook Joe at his word and assume that the answer is the least-interesting one possible, like the shiny paint on a pack of cigarettes or a bottle of beer. In 2014, Procter & Gamble, which owns Crest, wrote to Snopes that the company (and its peers) wereusing limited amounts of small colored polyethylene specs in some toothpastesessentially microbeads, which were then common in soap and body wash, to give color. And when I say I know how much they use, I dont know the exact volumes, but Ive been in their plants and I've seen the drums of material. Fighter jets. Alex: I don't know anyone personally at Glitterex. There are a few ways to reach us: This content was originally created for audio. And if you call from jail I can put you on to any number of criminal defense attorneys who are my friends. Go that way. Josh: I think the next step is probably just to call up as many boat manufacturers as humanly possible. All of a sudden, his fists go up in the air triumphantly. Clearly, it was time to do some digging. A man after my own heart. Effect pigments are basically highly engineered glitter in powder or flake form that add depth and complexity to whatever paint theyre in. Ben: Until, from various industry pressures, it doesnt, which is why Alexs family company is getting into biodegradable glitter to get away from plastics. She added that you'd see some trace of glitter if you knew what it was. If what we don't know can't hurt us, that doesn't mean it won'teventually. Can you offer us any advice on how to solve the mystery without your help? Also thanks to Dan Benton, Ed Jones, Vanessa Patrick and Jerry Mande for sharing their expertise and helping to shape this episode as we fell down the glitter rabbit hole. Should we just go in the front door? I am unavailable to take your call. And we buy from their distributors. All rights reserved. But instead, it's something mundane. Ben: And that seems to be as far as anyone has gotten on this story. According to her, because the company does not want people to know under any circumstance that they're using glitter. Why am I listening to you? Still a mystery. Ben: Closed industry doesnt sound good and it matches what weve learned about glitter so far. Amory: Dont worry guys, theres a couple of dorks with a microphone, a recorder, and a knack for diving down rabbit holes and searching out dead ends, at your service.