Ward & Kennedy supplies businesses nationwide with traditionally die-cut and high-precision digitally cut neoprene. From orthotic splints to gaskets and everything in between, you can trust Ward & Kennedy’s nearly 100-year history for fast turnaround times and dedicated service and support.
Neoprene is a synthetic rubber known for its flexibility, water resistance, and insulating properties. It's used across sportswear, marine, automotive, medical, and electronics industries, particularly in applications where cushioning, waterproofing, or thermal insulation is needed.
Common products made from neoprene include:
Neoprene's density, elasticity, and lamination directly affect how it performs during die cutting, from blade pressure to cut precision and edge consistency.
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Thickness & density | Denser neoprene requires more cutting pressure and sharper dies for clean edges |
| Elasticity | Stretch can cause distortion during cutting if the material isn't held flat and stable |
| Closed-cell structure | Affects how the material rebounds after the blade passes through, impacting final dimensions |
| Fabric lamination | Fabric-backed neoprene adds a second layer that must cut evenly with the rubber core |
| Heat sensitivity | Neoprene can scorch or release fumes under heat-based cutting methods, making blade-based cutting a common choice |
| Compression memory | Determines how well cut pieces hold their shape for gaskets, seals, and molded parts |
slices completely through the material, and both digital cutters and traditional dies can perform it depending on thickness and volume.
Perforation creates a line of small cuts for easy hand separation, achievable by both die cutting and digital cutting.
Creasing forms a fold line without cutting through the material, handled well by digital cutters through adjustable pressure and by dies fitted with the right rule type.
Digital cutting, particularly knife-based digital cutting rather than laser, works well for prototyping neoprene products, since it avoids the fumes and scorching that can occur with heat-based methods. This makes it useful for testing sizing and shapes on items like wetsuits, sleeves, or braces before committing to tooling.
For production runs, die cutting is the standard approach, especially for laminated, fabric-backed neoprene. Steel rule dies allow manufacturers to stamp out repeated shapes for sleeves, gaskets, and braces efficiently, with the upfront tooling cost offset by faster speeds and lower per-unit costs at higher volumes.
At our facility in Milwaukee, WI, our team of designers and fabricators can help bring your vision to life. Whether you have existing design files or assistance with their creation, we’re here every step of the way.
Along with fabrics, we die cut materials like:
Ward & Kennedy has been designing, fabricating, and supplying industries all over the world since we were founded in 1928. Whether you’re in our Wisconsin backyard or located across the world in Asia, we can supply your die cut materials.
Along with fabricating parts for businesses across America, we supply them with the necessary tools, supplies, and gear to keep them running at full capacity. We stock abrasives, adhesives, PPE, and more from major brands like 3M, Dynablade, Superior Glove, Wendt and Mirka.
