[!ipl-plastic-snowshoequebec-ca-1970s.jpg](http://canadiandesignresource.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/ipl-plastic-snowshoequebec-ca-1970s.jpg)Photo: Allan Collier Collection During the sixties and seventies, IPL worked closely with designers, exploring new applications for their plastics manufacturing capabilities. Most famously, these collaborations lead to a number of important chair designs (including the [Solair Chair](http://canadiandesignresource.ca/?p=42) and [Giovanni Maur’s Plastic Chair](http://canadiandesignresource.ca/?p=130)), but other consumer products such as these snowshoes also emerged during this period. Compared to modern high-performance snowshoes, this design seems pretty basic, but similar one-piece plastic designs are still sold as entry level/economy shoes today. While the form itself is based on [traditional Huron designs](http://canadiandesignresource.ca/?p=227), the use of plastic bears a striking resemblance to plastic milk crates. Notably, around 1970 IPL developed the first plastic beverage crates for a small home delivery service. This new development soon led to contracts with Coca-Cola, 7-Up, and Pepsi, marking the companies eventual move away from consumer goods\*. Sources: – Allan Collier Collection [–](http://www.ipl-plastics.com/Afficher.aspx?section=251&langue=en) [\*IPL Company History](http://www.ipl-plastics.com/Afficher.aspx?section=251&langue=en)