One packaging item that is recognized globally is Bubble Wrap. This package item helps to keep items safe from damage during shipping, protects electronic gadgets and keeps things safe. In addition, Bubble wrap is famous for creating a satisfying noise while being popped. However, bubble wrap didn't exist as a package item from its creation.
In the 1950s, two inventors, Alfred W. Fielding and Marc Chavannes, tried making a new kind of textured wallpaper but the project was unsuccessful. This unsuccessful experiment later became Bubble Wrap, which is currently utilised worldwide. According to the Stevens Institute of Technology, the two inventors came up with this invention when performing an experiment using a machine shop in New Jersey. At that time, their primary aim had nothing to do with shipping fragile goods.
Their aim was to make decorative wallpaper
The reason behind inventing this wallpaper was that in the era after World War II, there was an increase in interior designing of houses, and the invention would have helped to make them more beautiful and attractive. During the experiment, two plastic shower curtains were sealed in such a way that pockets of air were formed inside.
The creators believed that the peculiar material would serve as an elegant wallcovering. However, customers were uninterested in their product. As the Stevens Institute describes, the idea did not last long. Thus, the inventors got their hands on a product without any practical application.
This failure turned out to be the most critical moment in Bubble Wrap's history. It means that the material, by itself, was not useless. It just failed to find its niche.
The invention found a totally new purpose
Having abandoned their first idea, the inventors started working again and finally understood that the material may serve as a protective wrapper for fragile goods during delivery. Thus, the fate of the invention has changed dramatically. Decorative wrapping turned into a material which can cushion goods when transported. The air inside the film absorbed shocks and decreased possible damage.
According to researchers and historians, this is the point where the invention really worked. They admit that it worked not because of improvements to the initial idea but because the creators recognized its potential as something different. Stevens Institute stresses that the switch to this new idea marked the beginning of Bubble Wrap’s success.
Reasons why the innovation has endured to date
Most inventions tend to have an economic basis for their existence from the outset. However, Bubble Wrap was different. The initial use failed spectacularly, but the invention managed to endure since it addressed another need in an innovative way. Such inventions are usually called accidental discoveries or adaptive inventions.
As more shipping companies emerged in the USA during the second half of the 20th century, there was a need for packaging materials that were not only economical and lightweight but would also guarantee safety during shipping. Air pockets did all of that brilliantly.
The innovation endures partly due to the surprise element associated with it. Wallpaper and packaging are things that one would never associate with each other. Therefore, Bubble Wrap comes with a pretty unique backstory as a product innovation.
Innovative and simple invention
To date, Bubble Wrap is a known product all over the world. The product can be found in stores, warehouses, packing materials, delivery services and even retail outlets. Apart from being useful, the product is also fun. Most people associate popping Bubble Wrap with stress-relieving and fun activities. That is why Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day takes place every January.
It is worth mentioning that the Stevens Institute of Technology continues promoting the creation in order to emphasize its role in the development of New Jersey as a center of industry and innovations. The product is introduced as the result of a chance discovery made through experimenting with various products.
According to professionals, such a description is associated with a significant truth related to innovative processes. Many useful products come into being when their designers start experimenting and fail in their initial attempts to create something new.
How failure led to a successful product
Thus, the Bubble Wrap remains interesting for many people for several reasons. First of all, its story incorporates elements of both humor and invention. Initially, two young inventors tried to produce a beautiful wallpaper, but failed in their attempt. However, the material itself was not useless.
Instead, it was given a completely different role as a package protector. This change turned a failed experiment into one of the most popular packaging products in the world.
