Spun Polyester existed a full twenty years before it was introduced to the restaurant and rental industry in 1993. Johnson Industries was actually developing it for use in boat covers when they came up with a lighter weight fabric that had an improved feel to it, just right for table linens. Dying it made it even softer. The company felt that the Spun Polyester was so perfect for tablecloths and long-term durability, they actually abandoned their boat cover development. An expert in textiles, Bob Pomeranz, had extensive knowledge of spinning machines.