History of Package Design

Primitive materials

Hollowed logs, woven grasses, animal organs

Natural containers

Gourds, shells, leaves

Robert Gaire’s Accident in the 1870s

Accidentally discovered that cutting & creasing

Paper bags

Commercial paper bags were first manufactured in 1844. In 1852 Francis Wolle invented the bag-making machine, which allowed mass production.

Spread of Papermaking

Spread from China to the Middle East

Cardboard and Corrugated Paper

The first cardboard box was made in 1817, while corrugated shipping cartons replaced heavy wooden crates. This made trade and shipping

Cereal Cartons

Kellog’s pioneered the use of paperboard cartons for cereal

Environmental Concerns

By the late 20th century plastics reduced the use of paper

Glass

Glass-making began as early as 700 BC and became an industry in Egypt

Blowpipe Innovation

The Phoenicians invented the blowpipe in 300 B.C

Clear Glass & Molds

Transparent glass appeared in the early Christian era

Industrial Glass

The first automatic bottle-making machine was patented in 1889. It could produce 20,000 bottles a day, making glass containers affordable. Even today, glass remains popular for premium products.

Metals

Early packaging used precious metals like gold and silver but these were too expensive for everyday use.

Tin Plating

was discovered in 1200 & spread to Europe by the 1600s. It protected iron containers from rusting. This breakthrough made metal containers safe and reliable for packaging.

Napoleon's Challenge

In 1809, Napoleon offered a reward for food preservation methods.

Nicholas Appert

Discovered sealing food in containers and boiling them could keep food safe. This marked the beginning of modern food canning.

Cylindrical Can

In 1810, Peter Durand patented the sealed cylindrical can. This invention allowed long-term storage.

Aluminum & Can Opener

Aluminum foil entered the market in 1910 and aluminum cans appeared in 1959. The can opener invented in 1875 made cans more practical to use. These packaging made convenient for household.

Collapsible Tubes

Were first used for paint in 1841. Later they were adopted for toothpaste in the 1890s and food in The 1960s

Plastics

We're developed in the 19th century. Starting with styrene 1831, vinyl chloride and celluloid 1870. Celluloid was the first widely used plastic, created as substitute for

Expansion in 1900s

Plastics became common after WWII with materials like cellophane & polyethylene. They were used for wraps, insulation.