Bubble Wrap

In 1957, two engineers in New Jersey tried to make textured wallpaper by sealing two shower curtains together to trap air bubbles. The wallpaper idea failed, but Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes realized they had invented something else entirely: a cushioning material that could protect fragile goods during shipping. They founded Sealed Air Corporation in 1960 and launched the product as Air Cap, later trademarked as Bubble Wrap. IBM became the first major customer, using the material to protect its 1401 computers in transit.

The brand has since become so dominant that many people use bubble wrap as a generic term for any air-filled cushioning. Sealed Air vigorously defends the trademark, even as the company has diversified far beyond its original product. In 2023, Sealed Air reported $5.5 billion in total revenue, with the majority coming from food packaging and cryovac solutions rather than Bubble Wrap. The Product Care segment, which includes Bubble Wrap, generated $2.1 billion.

Bubble Wrap's cultural footprint extends beyond logistics. The popping sound is a recognized stress reliever, and Sealed Air has leaned into that with Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, held on the last Monday of January. The company also runs partnerships with Staples and Amazon for e-commerce packaging. In 2023, Sealed Air invested $100 million to expand automated packaging systems that use Bubble Wrap material, and launched a version that uses 90% less plastic than traditional bubble wrap.[edit]