No matter how hard you try, resisting the urge to pop the bubble wrap you are using to pack your possessions for a house move can be incredibly difficult. That is why you have to make sure that you get some extra bubble wrap which you can use if you get too carried out popping air bubbles. Or you can just rely on trusted packing and storage services in London if you cannot control your bubble wrap popping addiction. And while most people associate this type of packing material with the unusual sense of satisfaction it brings every time you destroy a small part of it, the story of the bubble wrap is so interesting that it deserves to be told, which is exactly what we are about to do now.
What is bubble wrap?
Bubble wrap is a type of plastic material that is mainly used for the packing of fragile goods. It is transparent and that it has bubbles filled with air that serve as an extra protection of the item that has been packed with it. Alternative names for this packing material are also air bubble packing, bubble pack, bubble paper, aeroplast and etc. These days, there are many different types of bubble wrap including:
- Standard;
- Anti-static;
- Foam-backed;
- Eco-friendly (recycled plastic);
- Self-adhesive;
- Inflated;
Pictured: Bubble wrap
Usual original purpose
The standard bubble wrap was an invention of Marc Chavannes and Alfred Fielding. They came up with its design back in 1957. Interestingly, however, they were not planning to promote their new product as a packing material but as a 3D wallpaper. Needless to say, this idea did not float and the bubble wrap wallpaper failed to impress consumers.
Unusual original purpose #2
Chavannes and Fielding seemed more than determined to turn their creation into a hit because not long after they realised that their odd wallpaper idea won’t work, they came up with another idea – to use the bubble wrap for greenhouse insulation. Unfortunately, the inventors’ Plan B was also not successful, which again forced the two men to go back to the drawing board.
Bubble wrap’s big break
In the late-1950s – early-1960s, Alfred Fielding co-founded a U.S. packaging company and the main product that it produced was bubble wrap. Around that same time, IBM announced that they will release a little over of 1,400 computers on the market. All of these innovative devices were packed with bubble wrap and it was then that one of the world’s most popular and loved packing materials landed its first big gig.
Today, companies that manufacture this packing material have not been happy with the fact that they spend tonnes of money to ship air. That is why they invented a cheaper and more portable alternative called inflated bubble wrap. Just like the standard version of this product, its new edition comes with air pockets but they are not prefilled. Instead, customers inflate them. And while they are cheaper, most people end up hating the inflated bubble wrap because it does not pop. So, if you are moving home, chances are you too will prefer to use the original bubble wrap because it not only does the trick but it is also “poppable” which makes it an excellent relocation stress-reliever, right!