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Ben: Paint. Ben: And that seems to be as far as anyone has gotten on this story. Nah. But can we let Frank Ocean sing it for us? Ben: Oh my God! I don't know who it is. And John is responsible for choosing color options sometimes five or six years in advance of a new car coming out. Joe: At this location were two old glitter machines. And he builds a glitter company in Germany with a fleet of new machines. And customers are not buying one kilogram. But what a company like Glitterex is withholding is an innocent question and one that is of genuine interest to the public:Who is your biggest buyer? John is pretty excited about a new pigment made from glass. Zach Brooke: My name is Zach Brooke. And he is very confident about which industry is Glitterexs biggest client. And even with all of our prep from David Boeri, Amory and I kind of make a couple of rookie mistakes right off the bat. Ben: Essentially, that's what we're doing. Could the sand industry be spiking M-sand with glitter in search of the natural sparkle of Key Weststyle quartz sand for cosmetic uses like concrete floors, walls, or countertops? Ben: So true, grandma. Most military aircraft are equipped with tubes of chaff, millions of tiny aluminum- or zinc-coated fibers, to boggle radar-guided missiles and tracking systems. It's Boston local news in one concise, fun and informative email. Because glitter doesnt go away. Amory: We asked Alex why he wouldnt tell us what the devil machine cuts.

Is it sparkly or Brannon: Anything that you want. Amory: Time to call some car paint companies! The ingredient was safe, P&G insisted, and to the extent it made people like brushing their teeth, it led to healthier dental outcomes. The one thing I know is it's a very closed industry. sequins rainbow sequin Amory: We were really screwed. Is that just how business works? One thing I did learn, though: glitter is not good! Ben: To find someone who does, David made a pretty pointed suggestion. Ben: 300 gallons of glitter every week, or 15,600 gallons every year, is definitely buying in bulk. Where is it?

She added that you'd see some trace of glitter if you knew what it was. Ben: Heres why I was so excited. Amory: Foiled again. music, sound effects, tone) are harder to translate to text. (An Esterline representative had not responded to Slate as of press time.

Joe: This could be vehicle paint for planes or boats or whatever, but in my mind it has to be glitter that sits in a liquid medium [because it] requires a lot more glitter.

And the price has gone down with competition. Soooo, why is this information not being shared? Were just kind of bumbling in the front door. Like the muckraking business. I mean, you can tap it and it's extremely hard. 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.

iridescent And it's kind of like West Virginia. Why am I listening to you? There's been talk that toothpaste contains glitter, and visually that wouldn't be too much of a surprise. Brannon Pittman: My name is Brannon Pittman. Amory: We really tried. David: If you have a little time on your hands, I want you to figure out what the closest bars are. Why am I listening to you? One of my favorite subreddits is the Unresolved Mysteries subreddit. And if you dig deeper, the world of these shimmering bits of plastic is hiding one big secret. There are a few ways to reach us: This content was originally created for audio. So we gotta tick through some other theories. Glitter in money.

Ben: I will accept this new moniker as a compliment. Ben: Closed industry doesnt sound good and it matches what weve learned about glitter so far. 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.". You have been subscribed to WBUR Today. 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. Unfortunately for us, Armtec says its chaff is made of metalized glass fibers. Industry-wide, were talking glitter-palooza. Amory: Basically, all sorts of car companies, from Audi to Volkswagen, hire paint companies like PPG to make paint for their cars. Ben's voicemail for Amory: Oh! David: Amory. Fighter jets. Ben: First question: whats up with the secretive nature of the glitter industry? We think its paint but results from our paint experts are fundamentally inconclusive. Amory: So much mystery you're creating here, Alex! I have a G.P.S. Ben: Eventually, we did find someone who picked up and would totally talk to us. Something that we sell now we were selling for three or four times the amount per kilogram. Amory: Oh, God, yes. 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? Amory: Yes! Amory: And then, Ben caught a lucky break. So that's interesting! To help identify people whove been pepper sprayed? COPYRIGHT 2005-2022 Cracked is published by Literally media Ltd., 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 dust. Ben: John, I think they should they should start a new Netflix show called The Great American Flaking Show. And why even if you could, you probably shouldn't.

David: If you're an investigative reporter or detective, you are driven by the certainty that almost all things are knowable. Amory: Dont hold your breath on that one. Amory: Zach had found this article that a lot of people read in The New York Times Magazine that was all about glitter. Theres just not enough complicated societal sexual feelings in the world to make it rain for glitter! But instead, it's something mundane. 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. I currently live in Toledo, Ohio. 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. I see that ol Endless Thread bat signal in the sky! 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.

Ben: Very shiny. Amory: Is there a term for a strategy like this? You're just like, yeah. The movie leaves out the comics' inter-species romance and super-pet abuse, for some reason.

As a cloaking agent or paint for vehicles. He understands the industry. Glitter? Ben: David Boeri is probably known best for spending many years as WBURs senior investigative reporter. To make matters worse, the investigation requires a level of confidence in chemical and physical sciences to which I stopped aspiring in high school. The gold and silver sheets you often see on NASA equipment protect spacecraft from the temperature extremes of outer space. One is called Glitterex. They dont want to let her see the machines or even be on the manufacturing floor, let alone describe how the machines work. Brannon: I believe their name is Polycryl. The sparkly particles aren't fun and games when it comes to marine life. Amory: Were doing a story about the glitter industry. Its really that simple.. I was hoping it was going to be in our food, maybe. That's that's a voice thats becoming very recognizable. The transcript has been edited from our original script for clarity. It's that building. Ben: The more you say it the weirder it gets! Soooo, why is this information not being shared? Sure, why not? The sparkly particles aren't fun and games when it comes to marine life. Heads up that some elements (i.e.

Amory: His grandfather and his father were both in the business of manufacturing various reflective materials but not glitter.

This is how secretive people are about glitter machines. Effect pigments are basically highly engineered glitter in powder or flake form that add depth and complexity to whatever paint theyre in. If you look at a dollar, there are small streaks of glitter-sembling markings. Is it cutting souls? We got someone on the inside! Amory: And here is where we hit another dead end.

And so they've been kind of looking into it on our behalf. Everyone knows NASAs Space Launch System uses aluminum powder (along with ammonium perchlorate) as solid rocket fuel. David: I have peaches, pears and apples. Its none of these wacky things. Lets go find some boat, some boat people. Then theres very very very expensive flakes. I'm a senior lecturer at the Questrom School of Business at Boston University. Jeet wouldnt budge.

Ben: Boaty McBoatface! Amory: Ho ho! But what's so secretive about shiny particles? Josh Swartz: They had very good news, Ben. Alex: No but it definitely hurts the souls of the operators. How is it? Amory: Okay, so you're intimately acquainted with glitter it sounds like. Joe: My father compared the margins to cocaine! If there is space in between then the effect is not as brilliant. I am unavailable to take your call. Ben: Until, from various industry pressures, it doesnt, which is why Alexs family company is getting into biodegradable glitter to get away from plastics. But were talking about an industry where the final product isnt obviously made of glitter. 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. Amory: Weve learned that, yet again, sometimes the journey is much more intriguing than the destination. And if you dig deeper, the world of these shimmering bits of plastic is hiding one big secret. People are recognizing that the glitter falls onto the ground and could end up in an ocean. 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. Grab your tinfoil hat and walk with me down sparkle way. The other one is Meadowbrook Inventions. The ultimate cage match between Tonight Show hosts. David: I'd start in the basic gumshoe arena. , it's probable that glitter could be a component of sand. Ben: Maybe there was another clue in the economics of glitter. 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. 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. They use something called effect pigments.. Amory: Joes dad sells one inscrutable glitter cutting machine for a hefty sum. And we started calling people, trying to knock a few of the crazy theories out. Amory: Joes family is rooted in the Northeast with connections to The Garden State or, shall we say, the glitter state.

But, previously, there was a family glitter business that my father started in Germany. Ben: Jeet seems like a nice guy.

, dollar bills are also a possibility. So Amory, what have we learned? Maybe Gregs coming around to our conspiracy theorist point of view. They were like, there's no way we are their biggest client. Ben: Can you tell me why you cant tell me? Seems like were headed in the right direction. Theyre on vacation too. For todays episode, I will only answer to Glitter Boy. Josh Crane Twitter Producer, Podcasts & New ProgramsJosh is a producer for podcasts and new programs at WBUR. Ben: OK. An older one.

We're trying to answer this question for thousands and thousands of Redditors. John: Its a great flake. Theyre engineered to duplicate how color comes off of butterfly wings or insects. So I used to work for a bass boat manufacturer back in the 90s and we bought it in 30-gallon drums, probably 10 of those drums a week. Alright. 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? Brannon: I know how much boat manufacturers use, especially the bass boat manufacturers. 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. Sure. Nope.

Ben: Oooh mysterious! by the name of Ms. Dyer, who did not volunteer nor disclose information about who's responsible for giving the company most of its profit. 100 experts had killed theories and given us 100 more. And so I present to you a half-baked Friday afternoon inquiry: seven potential industrial uses of glitter (hat tip to sleuths on Twitter and Reddit) where the clients might not want you to know they were working with a glitter company. Thank you and make it a great day. It's a really closely held secret. Humanity is pretty good at dumping trash into the ocean in terrible ways, but were not doing this with glitter on purpose. Ben: The answer to the last question is apparently, everywhere, which we will talk more about. The colleagues who would be able to answer my questions? At the tone, please record your message. We're talking about single lane road.

I mean, boat paint? Nope. Eeeh. You cant spell glitter without litter.

I will return your call as soon as possible. Amory: Or they will welcome us with open arms and tell us all their secrets. An industry that, according to a company rep at Glitterex, doesnt really want people to know theyre using glitter. Ben: Has your family's company ever sold the glitter to the automotive paint industry?

Amory: The herpes of craft supplies is the topic of an INSANELY POPULAR Reddit post from almost a year ago. Amory: The me in this case is Richard Aboulafia. Ben: Even worse, Alex told us he was skeptical of the car paint theory. 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 one company [Glitterex], at least the one we knew had the answer, wouldnt give it to us.

Dude, we are in way too deep for this kind of gut punch. I will say that, you know, the constant murders, disappearances get a little grisly and a little like demoralizing. Jeet: I can't give you the answer to that. I live in Queens, New York. Amory: In 2011, Joes dad died. It's something bizarre," you know. Our email to Jeet. 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. Ben: Did you catch it? And the person behind that post?

Voicemail recording: You have reached the voicemail of Nathan Long. Maybe what's, Another use that's been argued is sand. The idea is that you see nothing but glitter. But because they are a Glitterex client, this source had a colleague who went to Glitterex for a normal supplier meeting and they poked into it on our behalf. Ben: Yes. Amory: In this front office by the way is a big glass case proudly displaying all of the products that Glitterexs glitter is in. Ben: This was around 1999.

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.

What this article presupposes is: Maybe they use glitter instead. If what we don't know can't hurt us, that doesn't mean it won'teventually. Go that way. Voicemail recording: Your call has been forwarded to an automatic voice message system. But, like, translated to German Joe: Yeah. Richard: It's been over 30 years of that. Demetri Martin (from a standup set):The thing about glitter is if you get it on you, be prepared to have it on you forever. Several theories exist on what the product might be, such as bombs, as a means to track where they've exploded or car paint, though most people wouldn't mind if glitter was in car paint, and it's safe to say most people have already assumed so. Thanks to SneakyBunny84 for this week's artwork.

Should we just go in the front door? Sand, after all, can be manufactured from concrete and made into fine rock particles. Amory: Boat you're supposed to say paint. John: And I manage an automotive OEM, which is original equipment manufacturing, color styling lab in Cleveland, Ohio for PPG industries. It's a great flake! All contents 2022 The Slate Group LLC. Ben: Almost sight unseen. And so I started hanging out in the watering holes. Ben: By the way, we offered Glitterex the chance to confirm or deny our findings. Amory: Strip clubs (also mentioned by glitter conspiracy theorists)? Another mystery. Can you offer us any advice on how to solve the mystery without your help? For the same reason, right? 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? 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. We like to consider ourselves the best with color. Amory: I'm sitting across from Josh yesterday. John: No, I don't believe that glitter would be a primary offering from those companies. 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. And youre listening to Endless Thread. Amory: Dont get ahead of yourself, glitter boy. Ben: One of the more popular shadowy theories is that glitter is used by the military. But he wouldnt let them get close enough to understand how the machine worked. Thats a glitter bomb going off right now. Works in Washington at the Teal Group doing aviation technology analysis. Jers suburbs. But then there's the more subtle approach of stealing the garbage, of doing dumpster dives and then opening the bag when you get home to find out what you might see in there Ben: Again, all of these ideas are a little dicey. A July Research and Markets industry report notes that the largest end-uses for metalized films include food packaging, decoration, and cosmetics. Alex: I don't know anyone personally at Glitterex. This is how it plays out in the piece: Ben: Can you tell me which industry serves as Glitterexs biggest market? Amory: Currency? Ben (in car with Amory): God, this is suburbia. Amory: Are you familiar with the Unresolved Mysteries subreddit? I'm not calling glitter pink slime, but remember when pink slime happened? Ben: Greg also made a prediction: that its totally possible the answer to our fundamental question is boring. But there they were in this part of Germany, which is, out in the boondocks. So people on the thread really dig in.

If, say, a satellite-launching startup were looking for a Mylar substitute in small quantities without paying for the DuPont brand name or buying at the markups of the military-industrial complex, could it just turn to any old glitter factory? And when we asked him about the Glitterex mystery, he had an answer. It's just funny? He said it was a single customer product and he just couldnt say.