Bubble Wrap (brand)
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|
|---|---|
| Owner | Sealed Air Corporation |
| Introduced | 1960[1] |
| Website | sealedair.com/bubble_home.htm |
Bubble Wrap (originally Air Cap)[2] is a trademarked brand of Sealed Air Corporation that includes numerous cushioning products made from bubble wrap.[1][3] The brand and product were introduced in 1960, with the launch of Sealed Air.[1] Although the brand was originally used for the packaging of IBM computers, Sealed Air now does most of its Bubble Wrap business in the food packaging industry.[4]
History [edit]
Bubble wrap was invented in 1957 by engineers Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes in Hawthorne,NJ. Fielding and Chavannes sealed two shower curtains together, creating a smattering of air bubbles, which they originally tried to sell as wallpaper.[4] When the product turned out to be unsuccessful as wallpaper, the team marketed it as greenhouse insulation.[4] Although Bubble Wrap was branded by Sealed Air Corporation (founded by Fielding and Chavannes) in 1960, it was not until a year later that its use in protective packaging was discovered.[5] As a packaging material, Bubble Wrap's first client was IBM, which used the product to protect the IBM 1401 computer during shipment.[4] Fielding and Chavannes were inducted into the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame in 1993.[5] Sealed Air celebrated Bubble Wrap's 50th birthday in January 2010.[6]
Uses [edit]
In 2006, 2007, and 2008, Sealed Air hosted the Annual Bubble Wrap Competition For Young Inventors.[7] In the competition, children are encouraged to design products made out of bubble wrap that have uses outside of the packaging industry.[7] Inventions have included a "Bubble Wrap Car Door Cover", a "Bubble Wrap Cushy Wheelchair", and "Transformable Bubble Wrap Kite".[8] Popping Bubble Wrap is sometimes used as stress-relief, and Sealed Air's corporate offices have "stress relief boxes" that are filled with Bubble Wrap for the employees to pop.[9][10] As of January 2010, over 250 Facebook pages have been dedicated to Bubble Wrap.[11]
References [edit]
- ^ a b c "Inflatable version of Bubble Wrap". FoodProductionDaily.com. 22 May 2002. Retrieved 28 September 2010.
- ^ "Bubble Wrap Brand Cushioning Facts & Figures". Sealed Air Corporation. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
- ^ "Sealed Air Selects 10 Semi-Finalists in Inaugural Bubble Wrap Competition for Young Inventors". Business Wire (Elmwood Park, New Jersey). 18 December 2006. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
- ^ a b c d Burke, Monte (5 August 2006). "Wrap Star". Forbes. Retrieved 28 September 2010.
- ^ a b Fernandez, Don (27 December 2004). "Betcha can't pop just one". Toronto Star (Toronto, Ontario). p. D13. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
- ^ "Bubble Wrap celebrating its 50th birthday". Saddle Brook, New Jersey: 24 January 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
- ^ a b "Sealed Air Announces Fifteen Semi-Finalists In Third Annual Bubble Wrap Competition For Young Inventors – International Business Times -". International Business Times (Elmwood Park, New Jersey). 24 November 2008. Retrieved 2 October 2010.[dead link]
- ^ Newmarker, Chris (25 November 2007). "Young inventors get creative in Bubble Wrap contest". Spartanburg Herald-Journal (Trenton, New Jersey). Retrieved 2 October 2010.
- ^ Fernandez, Don (24 December 2004). "Bubble Wrap: A pop-culture sensation that packs endless pleasure". Retrieved 2 October 2010.
- ^ Loeffler, William (23 January 2009). "Bubble wrap is a pop-culture phenomenon". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
- ^ "'Pop' Icon: Bubble Wrap Turns 50". National Public Radio. 25 January 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
