Bubble Wrap turns 50

Sealed Air Corp.'s iconic cushioning material celebrates 50 years of "popping up" with new ideas on Monday.

Mark Spaulding -- Converting Magazine -- Packaging Digest, 1/26/2010 2:57:00 PM

No milestone such as this would be complete with a look at its illustrious history:

Who invented Bubble Wrap packaging?
The story begins in a building no bigger than a garage in Hawthorne, NJ, with two engineers, Marc Chavannes and Al Fielding. Marc and Al were trying to make a plastic wallpaper with a paper backing. Surprisingly enough, this product didn't take off. They quickly realized, however, that their invention, originally called Air Cap, could be used as a cushioning material. They founded Sealed Air Corp. in 1960, which has since grown to be a global converter of food and protective packaging materials with annual revenues of more than $4 billion.

How is Bubble Wrap packaging made?
Bubble Wrap starts as polyethylene resin, extruded into two stacked sheets of clear plastic film. One film layer is wrapped around a drum with holes punched in it. Suction is applied drawing one web of film into the holes that form the bubbles. The second film layer is then laminated over the first so that when joined, they stick together and trap the air in the bubbles.

Because air can easily leak out through the porous film, Sealed Air started using a Saran coating to seal the air in the bubbles. Eventually, a method of encapsulating an air-retention barrier in the polyethylene during the extrusion process was developed. This process is a Sealed Air trade secret.

Some funky Bubble Wrap facts:

- Each year, Sealed Air makes enough Bubble Wrap to stretch from the Earth to the Moon and back (about 480,000 miles worth).

- In 2009, Bubble Wrap got its own Facebook page and now has more than 2 million fans.
Some of the stranger uses people have discovered for Bubble Wrap:

- Winterize your pipes - Wrap pipes using Bubble Wrap and string or rubber bands to prevent freezing.

- Drink cozy - Use tape and Bubble Wrap to make a soda-"pop" can cozy that will keep your drink colder for longer.

- Athletic padding - Use it to protect knees, elbows or backsides when learning to skateboard, ski, bike or other fall-down activity. Down side - if you're a klutz, everyone within earshot will know it.

Contributing source: Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch