The Accidental Invention of Bubble Wrap
Two inventors turned a failed experiment into an irresistibly poppable product that revolutionized the shipping industry
January 23, 2019
When a very young Howard Fielding carefully cradled his father’s unusual invention, he had no idea that his next action would make him a trendsetter. In his hands was a plastic sheet with air-filled bumps across it. As he fingered the funny-feeling film, he couldn’t resist the temptation: he started popping the bubbles—just like much of the rest of the world has been doing ever since.
And so Fielding, who was about 5 years old at the time, became the very first person—for fun—to pop Bubble Wrap. The invention revolutionized the shipping industry and made the e-commerce era possible, protecting billions of products shipped worldwide each year.
Read more:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/accidental-invention-bubble-wrap-180971325/#dxfroBz9DYIZs83v.99
