Automotive paint protection film or the “clear bra” is made from a transparent urethane material. Like a lot of technological innovations, Urethane was developed during wartime, in this case the Vietnam War. U.S. helicopters were crashing when the leading edge of the rotor blades sustained damage and needed to be protected. Enter 3M, a company that worked with the military to develop tech that would be lightweight, but resilient. It also needed to be easily replaced at the fraction of the cost of the entire rotor blade. Eventually, the urethane technology was expanded to include the nose of a fighter plane. A version of the urethane film is still being used by the military today.
In the 80’s NASCAR began using the film to protect the front end of these incredibly expensive racing cars. It also provided an inexpensive way for advertisers to plaster their mark all over the cars creating a massive of opportunity for new revenue. Eventually, urethane films became available to everyday consumers and became known as a “paint protection film” or “clear bra”.