Kamptulicon, whose name was derived from the Greek kamptos ("flexible") + oulos ("thick"),[1] was a floor covering made from powdered cork and natural rubber.
Patented by Elijah Galloway in 1843, kamptulicon was first launched in public at the 1862 International Exhibition in London, where it caused a sensation.
Its promoters compared it to thick, soft leather, and lauded its ease of cleaning, water resistance, warmth, and sound-deadening qualities.
Kamptulicon was manufactured by sprinkling powdered cork on to thin bands of rubber, which was then rolled and rerolled until thoroughly mixed.
[2] Within a few years, faced by stiff competition from the manufacturers of oilcloth coupled with huge increases in the price of natural rubber, kamptulicon production ceased.