Information about Bubble Wrap

Bubble Wrap is a pliable transparent plastic material commonly used for packing fragile items. Regularly spaced, protruding air-filled hemispheres ("bubbles") provide cushioning for precious or breakable items. Bubble Wrap was created by two engineers, Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes, in 1957. Like many innovations, it was accidental: The two were trying to create a textured plastic wallpaper with paper backing that could be easily cleaned. The term is a registered trademark of the Sealed Air Corporation (US) which was founded in 1960 by those inventors, and should theoretically only be used for products of that company.

Types

The bubbles that provide the cushioning for fragile or sensitive objects are generally available in different sizes, depending on the size of the object being packed, as well as the level of cushioning protection that is needed. They can be as small as 1/4 inch (6 millimetres) in diameter, to as large as an inch (25 millimetres) or more, to provide added levels of shock absorption during transit. In addition to the degree of protection available from the size of the air bubbles in the plastic, the plastic material itself can offer some forms of protection for the object in question. For example, when shipping sensitive electronic parts and components, a type of Bubble Wrap is used that employs an anti-static plastic that dissipates static charges, thereby protecting the sensitive electronic chips from static which can damage them.

Other uses

Bubble Wrap is used by some as a distracting amusement or stress relieving activity. These people enjoy popping the plastic bubbles and listening to the sound that it makes. The noise is created when pressure is exerted on the small hemisphere of air and the high pressure eventually breaks the plastic barrier. This practice has even spawned websites in which one can move the mouse cursor over "virtual Bubble Wrap" and hear it pop.

In 2006, "Weird Al" Yankovic, a parody song composer and singer, recorded and released White & Nerdy in which he refers to popping Bubble Wrap at home.

Mugen Puchipuchi

Mugen puchipuchi (∞プチプチ, mugen-puchipuchi) is a Japanese key chain toy designed to mimic the sound and feeling of popping bubble wrap.

Mugen Puchipuchi's are flat and square, resembling a five-centimetre square of bubble wrap with eight bubbles. The toy is produced by the Japanese toymaker Bandai and was first released at the Tokyo Toy Show in June 2007. General sales commenced in September 2007.

Pressing the surface of the toy will generally produce the sound and feel of bubble wrap popping. One in one hundred presses will produce a different sound including moaning, flatulence or door bells.

• Japanese:

Bandai official site

References

• Bubble Wrap is a Trademark of Sealed Air. Sealed Air Corporation. Retrieved on April 3, 2006.
• Company History. Sealed Air Corporation. Retrieved on April 3, 2006.
• European Sealed Air Master Distributer. Postal Supplies Direct. Retrieved on May 25, 2006.
• Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day. Fast-Pack.com. Retrieved on April 3, 2006.
• Bubble Wrap products. Polybags.co.uk (2006). Retrieved on April 14, 2006.
• Bubble Wrap products in the UK. buyboxes.co.uk (2006). Retrieved on May 16, 2006.
• Bubble Wrap humour. bubblewrap.tv (2006). Retrieved on June 26, 2006.
• Virtual Bubble Wrap toy from Bandai Asovision - Puchipuchi. CScout (2007). Retrieved on July 29, 2007.

Further reading

• How To Package Your Product For Shipping. PackagingPrice.com. Retrieved on 2006-04-30. — A guide detailing how best to package items that need to be shipped. Includes technical information about using bubble wrap and bubble mailers.

External links

• Company website
• The Original Virtual Bubble Wrap Site (Flash file)
• ()