For more than a half century now, people have been tinting the windows of their cars and homes but do they know how window tinting started? The history of window tinting can be dated back to the 1960’s and 70’s when the first protective films were first being utilized in the manufacturing of tempered automotive glass windows. These first films were designed to be as transparent as possible, but the demand for colored films soon grew.
By the end of the 1970s, limousines all over the country started utilizing dark tints to protect the privacy of those riding in the back. The dark tints were well over 80% in some cases. Countless people loved the idea of privacy that tinted windows provided them with. However, these darker tints made it harder to see out and as a result many accidents occurred.
In the early 1980s, virtually every state in the U.S. had developed their own laws regarding the use of darker tints on cars. However, by this time, window tinting had become available at every level from 5% to 70%. There were also many different colors to choose from as well. However, the more advanced window tinting films that we see today did not start making it into the marketplace until the mid-90s.
Perhaps one of the more popular and costlier films available today are those which are ceramic based. The film which is coated with a thin film of Titanium Dioxide, Aluminum Oxide or a mixture of the two is capable of reflecting the harmful UV rays of the sun while still letting the rest of the visible light spectrum to pass. They also had the ability to reflect the sun’s heat which keeps the inside of a car or home cooler during the hot summer months.
The tinting industry has grown by leaps and bounds over the years. While the simplest films are still readily available and very affordable, there are many other superior options to choose from these days. One company even offers a polarized tinting film which rather than blocks the light, intensifies certain bandwidths of the visible light spectrum. This polarization technique is seen on shooters glasses which help marksmen see their target more clearly.
We already have films that will prevent glass from shattering into little pieces, but maybe the next generation of window tinting will be able to completely prevent the glass from breaking in the first place.
Interesting to know the history.
Something that i also find cool are window curtains. And then you can choose to open or close them so it's not permanent like with window tint.
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