HAPPY EASTER!
Ever wonder how we went from carrying our consumer goods in shells, gourds or even leaves to the cool and colorful packaging we have today?
Well let’s start with what the meaning of packaging is.
According to the Webster’s Dictionary, an act or instance of packaging something;
a) the enclosing of something in a container or covering
b) material used to enclose or contain something
also: a covering wrapper or container
Clearly, we have come a long way. In the caveman time period, you ate where you killed it. When the nomads came along (A nomad is a person with no settled home, moving from place to place as a way of obtaining food), they needed a way to carry their food and keep it safe and protected, hence packaging.
Here is a rough timeframe of the materials used for packaging through the years;
1) Gourds, shells, leaves, hallowed logs
2) Furs were crafted into fabrics which were weaved into bags
With the weaving process created, now we are able to weave grasses and reeds into baskets for transporting and storage.
3) Paper is one of the oldest forms of what is called flexible packaging.
Flexible packaging is packaging with the use of non-rigid materials. This gives more customizable options with shapes, colors and uses. The Chinese started using flexible packaging as early as the first or second century BC to wrap their food. Finally in 1690, this technique arrived in Germantown PA. Hello cardboard boxes.
4) Glass was created in Egypt around 1500 BC which, still to this day, the mixing process is quite similar. The only great change has been with the molding process.
5) Metals came to us in 1200 AD thanks to the Bohemians.
Their plating process was a very closely guarded secret until the 1600’s. In the 1800’s, food was finally deemed safe to be sold and stored in tin cans, which were all hand welded. Yes! HAND WELDED!
6) Plastic was discovered in the 19th century and the youngest of materials.
Plastic was so new that only the military used it during war time.
Today’s packaging is simply amazing! The possibilities are endless. From blister packs that our pills from the pharmacy come in, to flexible pouches that hold some of the most delicious beverages, I cant wait to see what the future holds for flexible packaging and the industries it serves.
PO Box 931
Pryor, OK 74362
Office: (918) 825-5777
Fax: (918) 825-7773
