History of Package Design

Examples of Natural Containers

gourds, shells, leaves

Early Innovations

Over time, humans made their own containers from eartheware, animal organs and skins, and weaved grasses.

Early Innovations

This allowed people to store surplus food.

Early Innovations

This made life easier by reducing the time needed to search for food daily. The ability to store goods was a key step in the growth of civilizations.

Fabrics and Fibers

first made from furs, evolved into woven fibers that could be turned into bags and wrappings.

Paper and Paper Products

was one of the first true packaging materials, first used in China around 200 B.C.

Sheets made from mulberry

were used to wrap food and protect goods. This invention laid the foundation for flexible packaging.

Paper and Paper products

during the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907 CE), where paper was wrapped around food and

fragile items such as tea leaves and medicine.

Wooden packaging

As the use of paper packaging didn’t travel to Europe until much later, people made do with

papermaking

spread from China to the Middle East, then into Europe

Papermaking

It eventually reached America in 1690. This spread became a common material for wrapping and storing products across cultures.

Natural containers

They were easy to find and served as temporary holders for food and water.

Natural containers

Humans first relied on this to to provide containers.

Commercial paper bags

were first manufactured in 1844.

natural containers and advanced plastics

Each solved problems of storage, transport and preservation.

bag-making machine

In 1852, Francis Wolle invented this which allowed mass producton. These developments made packaging more efficient and accessible.

Cardboards

By 1900, corrugated shipping cartons replaced heavy wooden crates. This made trade and shipping faster and more cost-effective.

Robert Gair’s Accident

In the 1870s,he accidentally discovered that cutting and creasing paperboard at the same time created cartons. This mistake led to a breakthrough in packaging. His innovation gave rise to semi-flexible packaging still used today.

Cereal Cartons

Kellogg’s pioneered the use of paperboard cartons for cereal.

Cereal Cartons

They combined a waxed inner bag for freshness with a printed outer box for branding.

Cereal Cartons

This was one of the first times packaging also became a tool for advertising.

Environmental Concerns

By the late 20th century, plastics reduced the use of paper in packaging. Recently, paper has

regained popularity due to…

Environmental concerns

Designers now use recycled and eco-friendly papers to create sustainable packaging.

Glass

Made from sand, soda, and limestone, glass provided durable and reusable containers.

Glass-making

began as early as 7000 B.C.and became an industry in Egypt by 1500 B.C.

Blowpipe Innovation

It also allowed round and uniform containers to be made. This changed glass from a luxury to a more common packaging material.

Blowpipe Innovation

The Phoenicians invented this in 300 B.C., which sped up glass production.

glass packaging

By the 17th and 18th centuries, molds allowed decorative designs and labels to be added to containers. This increased both beauty and practicality of

Transparent glass

appeared in the early Christian era.

Clear Glass and Molds

By the 17th and 18th centuries, molds allowed decorative designs and labels to be added to containers. This increased both beauty and practicality of glass packaging.

Phoenicians

Invented the blowpipe in 300 B.C.

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

Stronger and cheaper alloys were developed later. These made containers more practical and widely available.

Tin Plating

was discovered in 1200 and spread to Europe by the 1600s.

Tin Plating

It protected iron containers from rusting. This breakthrough made metal containers safe and

reliable for packaging.

Napoleon

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

Napoleon’s Challenge

In 1809, Napoleon offered a reward for food preservation methods. Nicholas Appert discovered sealing food in tin containers and boiling them could keep food safe.

Nicholas Appert

He discovered sealing food in tin containers and boiling them could keep food safe.

Peter Durand

In 1810, He patented the sealed cylindrical can.

Cylindrical Can

This invention allowed long term storage of food for trade and military use. It quickly became one of the most important packaging innovations in history.

Aluminum and Can Opener

Aluminum foil entered the market in 1910, and aluminum cans appeared in 1959.

can opener

invented in 1875, made cans more practical to use. These changes made metal

packaging more convenient for households.

Collapsible Tubes

were first used for paint in 1841. Later, they were adopted for toothpaste in the

1890s and food in the 1960s. This was an early form of flexible metal packaging.

Plastics

were developed in the 19th century, starting with styrene (1831), vinyl chloride (1835), and celluloid (1870).

Expansion in 1900s

Plastics became common after WWII with materials like cellophane

and polyethylene.They were used for wraps,insulation, and later, everyday

packaging. This revolutionized how products were stored and sold.

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Bottles

were introduced in 1977 for beverages. By the 1980s, they became the standard for many drinks and food products.

Environmental Issues

Today, recyclable and biodegradable plastics are being developed. Packaging

design is now focused on reducing plastic waste.

Labels and Branding

English merchants began

marking goods to protect buyers from fraud.

Smith Brothers

In the 1660s, English merchants began

marking goods to protect buyers from

fraud. Their ‘cough drops’ in 1866 pioneered official trademarks in packaging. This turned packaging into a tool for trust and marketing.

Modern labels

Today, labels carry branding, nutrition, instructions, and safety information

Modern packaging

They help consumers make informed choices and build company identity.

Modern packaging

It is as much about communication as it is about protection.

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles

They were strong, lightweight and easy to recycle.