Hula Hoop, hoop-shaped toy, typically a hollow plastic tube, that is kept revolving around the waist by swiveling of the hips. It got its name from the hula, a Hawaiian dance that is performed by using a similar hip motion. Although different variations of the hoop have been used as children’s toys since ancient times, in the 1950s Australian businessman Alex Tolmer was the first person to market a version made from a then-new material called plastic. In his Australian department store, Toltoys, Tolmer sold hundreds of thousands of Hula Hoops. American entrepreneurs Richard Knerr and Arthur Melin, the owners ...(100 of 255 words)