When did disposable kippot first make an appearance?

July 17, 2023 7:10 PM

How long ago would paper or other disposable kippot have been available? Ten years ago? Twenty? Even longer? (Trying to figure out what's plausible for a story.)
posted by tangerine to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (6 answers total)

Best answer: You mean like the cardboard kippot they used to offer at the Western Wall? Jerusalem Post, 2010:

Visitors no longer have to hold cardboard kippot on their heads when visiting the Kotel: The Western Wall Heritage Foundation has received a donation of 1 million nylon yarmulkes.

According to a statement Wednesday from the office of the rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, the distinct and sometimes awkward cardboard head coverings that have been offered to male visitors to the site for 40 years have been replaced.

This suggests, then, that they've been in circulation since at least 1970. I definitely recall them from around the time of my bar mitzvah, which was 30 years ago. So: a long time!
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 7:20 PM on July 17, 2023 [3 favorites]

Response by poster: Wow, thanks! I was thinking of setting a scene 25-ish? years ago at someone's burial. I guess that's plausible, then. Much appreciated.
posted by tangerine at 9:31 PM on July 17, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: In my experience, it has always been the cheap nylon ones provided by the synagogue or funeral home at a funeral/burial. You can buy them today for 24¢ each, I'm sure they were quite a bit cheaper back in the time of your story.
posted by metahawk at 9:37 PM on July 17, 2023 [6 favorites]

Best answer: My Bar Mitzvah was around 50 years ago. My reform temple was using the disposable black nylon ones back then and I am quite certain for at least 5 years before that. 25 years ago they were very commonplace.

I also remember my grandfather making me and my brothers paper hats to use at his seder. The kind made out of folded up newspaper. So I guess, in a way, they have always been available in some form.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 1:13 AM on July 18, 2023 [4 favorites]

Best answer: I attended a bar mitzvah in 1996 and men were given disposable/nylon options.
posted by dazedandconfused at 3:28 PM on July 18, 2023 [2 favorites]

I don't think I've ever seen paper ones to this day, but learning that the flimsy black ones are considered disposable makes sense.
posted by Lady Li at 6:08 AM on July 19, 2023 [2 favorites]