What was the original purpose of bubble wrap?

The original purpose of bubble wrap was wallpaper. In 1957, engineers Alfred W. Fielding and Marc Chavannes created a three-dimensional plastic wall covering by sealing two sheets together with trapped air bubbles. They hoped its textured appearance would appeal to modern interior-design tastes, including the Beat generation.

The wallpaper idea failed commercially, and the inventors briefly considered using the material as greenhouse insulation. Its breakthrough came when the air-filled structure was recognized as useful for cushioning fragile goods. Sealed Air Corporation was founded in 1960, with the product eventually marketed as protective packaging.

Bubble wrap became widely associated with shipping after IBM used it to protect its 1401 computer during transport in the early 1960s. That is why “packing material” is the familiar modern answer—but it describes bubble wrap’s successful later use, not its original purpose. The product also became famous for the satisfying popping sound that occurs when individual air cells are pressed until they burst.