The original use for bubble wrap may surprise you
Bubble wrap is so much more than a protective cushion in packing boxes.
The irresistible popping plastic has inspired questionable fashion choices, spawned numerous fan pages and even has its own day of appreciation (every last Monday of January).
But bubble wrap’s original purpose was far different from what it’s used for today.
Engineers Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes stumbled upon the product in 1957 when trying to create a textured wallpaper. The duo initially sealed two shower curtains together in a way where air bubbles were trapped in between, giving the material a textured appearance.
Their home decor innovation never did catch on. Perhaps, fortunately so or we would never be able to leave our houses until we’ve popped every bubble on the wall.
Eventually Fielding and Chavannes discovered that the lightweight, air-filled product had other uses. The two refined the product and marketed it first as greenhouse insulation and later as the ubiquitous packing material and universal time waster that we all adore.
