A Glimpse into the History of Packaging Design

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Packaging is an integral part of our everyday lives, but have you ever wondered how it all began? While you might not give it much thought as you grab a bottle from the shelf, packaging plays an integral role in your everyday life. It’s more than just a way to contain products – it’s also about how brands communicate with and attract customers.

It wasn’t always this way, though. The packaging we take for granted today has been shaped by innovation, necessity, and technology. This article will explore the major packaging industry innovations, from the earliest days to the present. We’ll look at key milestones and how they’ve evolved to meet the needs of consumers and businesses alike.

Early Beginnings of Storage and Transport

Early humans required a means of storing and transporting food and other necessities long before modern factories and materials. Historians believe that people used the resources that were most easily accessible during the hunter-gatherer era, even though there is no official record of the earliest packaging materials. Among these were organic materials like leaves, animal skins, gourds, and wood. These primitive forms of packaging were a necessity for survival, providing a way to carry food, water, and other tools from place to place.

As societies progressed, so did the need for more sophisticated methods of storing and transporting goods. However, it wasn’t until ancient civilizations that packaging truly began to take form.

Ancient Egyptians’ Glass for the Royals

Fast forward to Ancient Egypt, where packaging took a huge step. Glass, while considered a luxury at the time, became a pivotal material in the development of packaging. The Egyptians discovered glass-blowing technology, which allowed them to mold glass into containers for food and liquids. These glass containers were typically used by royalty and the wealthy, as glass was expensive and difficult to produce.

Interestingly, the glass used in those early days wasn’t transparent, a feature that wouldn’t be achieved until about 500 years later. But the ability to shape and use glass for storage was a major leap forward in packaging history. The fascination with glass in Egypt would go on to inspire glass-making techniques that spread throughout the ancient world.

Ancient Chinese Flexible Packaging

On the other side of the world, Ancient China was making its own strides in packaging. The Chinese are often credited with the invention of flexible packaging, thanks to their development of paper.

Paper’s ability to be molded, cut, and shaped made it a natural choice for wrapping and storing food, especially after the Chinese mastered the art of producing it in large quantities. Early on, they began using treated mulberry bark to wrap food, and as paper-making techniques improved, they started using it to package items like medicine and tea. By the time paper made its way to England in 1310, it had already proven its worth in numerous applications, from written communication to practical uses like packaging. 

Over time, paper spread to other parts of the world, eventually leading to the development of paperboard, cardboard, and the paper bags and boxes we use for packaging today.  It also provided the perfect canvas for the design industry to flourish. 

So whether you’re working with traditional materials or modern eco-friendly options, Approval Studio helps streamline the design process, allowing you to collaborate, iterate, and finalize designs with precision. With features like 4 version compare styles and various annotation shapes, our online proofing tool ensures that every aspect of your packaging design aligns with your brand’s vision while maintaining quality across production runs. 

The Middle Ages: Barrels and Boxes

Let’s start with the most iconic of medieval packaging – the good ol’ wooden barrel. Their simple design made them ideal for long journeys, including transoceanic voyages. Barrels were sturdy, durable, and their rounded shape made them easy to roll around, even when they were packed with heavy goods like salted meat, dried food, or – you guessed it – rum and wine. The airtight construction of barrels also helped preserve perishables for longer periods long before refrigeration.

Now, barrels were great, but they weren’t always practical. Enter wooden crates and boxes, the go-to choice for overland travel. These were the perfect solution for stacking goods on carts and wagons. Think of them as the medieval version of IKEA flat-packs, just a bit clunkier and definitely less trendy. Unlike barrels, which required specialized craftsmanship, wooden boxes were relatively simpler to produce and could be customized to fit the dimensions of specific items. Handy, right?

People turned to flexible packaging materials like leather pouches or cloth sacks for smaller or more delicate items. Leather pouches were perfect for holding coins, spices, and other little treasures. Not only were they tough and weather-resistant, but they were also pretty stylish.

Cloth sacks, on the other hand, were the ultimate multitaskers. They were lightweight, reusable, and easy to transport, whether you were heading to the market or on a long journey. The medieval answer to today’s “reduce, reuse, recycle” – talk about eco-friendly thinking ahead of its time!

The Brave New World of the Industrial Revolution

Leave it to Napoleon Bonaparte to kickstart a packaging revolution. Faced with the logistical nightmare of feeding his troops on the march, in 1795 Napoleon offered a prize of 12,000 francs to anyone who could invent a method to keep food fresh for longer. Enter Nicolas Appert, the culinary wizard who gave us canning. He figured out that if you boiled food and sealed it in airtight glass containers, it stayed edible for months – an absolute game-changer for armies and households alike.

Speaking of tin cans, let’s talk about Peter Durand. In 1810, this clever Englishman patented the use of tin-coated iron cans. Unlike glass, tin was more durable during transport, making it ideal for storing everything from cookies to tobacco. These cans were sealed tight, protecting their contents from air, light, and moisture – the mortal enemies of fresh food. It wasn’t long before tin cans became the go-to packaging for all kinds of products, as urbanization increased. Fun fact: Early tin cans had to be opened with a hammer and chisel. Thank goodness for modern can openers!

Next up, we’ve got the humble cardboard box, which made its debut in 1817 thanks to Sir Malcolm Thornhill. While the Chinese had already invented cardboard centuries earlier, Thornhill was the genius who figured out how to turn it into boxes.

Lightweight, easy to store, and customizable, they quickly became the go-to solution for shipping and transporting goods. What’s more interesting, cardboard were basically a blank canvas. It opened the door for branding and design, laying the groundwork for the vibrant, eye-catching packaging we see on shelves now.

In 1851, Francis Wolle, an American priest-turned-inventor, invented the first machine capable of mass-producing paper bags. These early paper bags were flat and envelope-like, perfect for carrying smaller goods.

As cities grew and shopping became a more common activity, paper bags quickly became a favorite for grocers and shopkeepers. Lightweight, affordable, and easy to use, they made everyday errands a breeze. Over time, paper bags evolved into the sturdy versions we know today, complete with handles for extra convenience.

Cartons and Cereal Boxes of XIX-XX

Sometimes, the best ideas come from happy accidents. That’s exactly how Robert Gair stumbled upon the concept of prefabricated cartons. While running his paper bag company, one of Gair’s machines misfired, slicing instead of creasing a stack of bags. This unexpected mistake sparked an idea: why not mass-produce pre-cut and pre-folded cartons?

What followed was a revolution in packaging. Gair’s cartons were lightweight, easy to store, and perfect for shipping and displaying products. Retailers loved them, and consumers appreciated their practicality. This invention laid the groundwork for the modern retail packaging we know today, from shoe boxes to gift packages.

Then the Kellogg brothers, who didn’t just change breakfast but also reshaped how food was packaged and marketed. After creating their Corn Flakes in 1877, they needed a way to distribute their product efficiently while keeping it fresh. The solution? Cardboard boxes.

What truly set cereal boxes apart was how the Kellogg brothers used them as marketing tools. Bright colors, bold branding, and engaging designs turned cereal boxes into more than just packaging – they became a part of the breakfast culture.

Ladies and Gentlemen – Plastic

Today’s controversial material, plastic was an evolutionary step in terms of packaging. It was lightweight, durable, and versatile – qualities that made it the darling of manufacturers and consumers alike. 

Swiss chemist Jacques E. Brandenberger didn’t set out to create packaging. Instead, he wanted to invent a liquid-proof fabric. His experiments with wood cellulose led to the creation of a thin, transparent material – cellophane. By the mid-20th century, it had become the go-to material for wrapping goods. Its transparency allowed consumers to see the product inside, and its flexibility made it perfect for everything from candy wrappers to bouquet wraps. It was functional and visually appealing – a real win-win.

Saran Wrap’s origins are as surprising as its uses. Discovered accidentally by lab worker Ralph Wiley at Dow Chemical, this tough, sticky polymer was initially used to protect military equipment during World War II. But its potential as a household item couldn’t be ignored. By the 1950s, researchers refined the material, removing its greenish tint and making it food-safe. That’s the story of a kitchen essential that keeps leftovers fresh and sandwiches neatly packed.

Another great accident – Bubble Wrap! Al Fielding and Marc Cavannes weren’t thinking about protecting fragile items as they were trying to make textured wallpaper by fusing two shower curtains. Their experiment created sheets filled with air bubbles, but the wallpaper idea didn’t quite catch on (imagine that on your walls – almost like a padded cell!). Its cushioning properties made it perfect for safeguarding delicate items, and its satisfying pop made it a great stress reliever.

Lately, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles entered the scene in the early 1970s, forever changing the beverage industry. Invented by chemist Nathaniel Wyeth, PET bottles were lightweight, durable, and capable of holding carbonated drinks without breaking under pressure. Compared to glass, PET bottles were cheaper to produce and easier to transport. They quickly became the standard for sodas, water, and other beverages. 

Conclusion: Sustainability at the Today’s Packaging Forefront

Packaging has come a long way, from ancient materials like animal skins to modern-day plastics and bubble wrap. But with this progress comes a need to focus on sustainability. Today, there’s a big push in the packaging world to reduce waste and find eco-friendly solutions. Consumers are more aware than ever about the environmental impact of packaging, and brands are responding with biodegradable, recyclable, and even edible options. Our goal now is to create a circular economy where materials are reused, recycled, and repurposed.

As the demand for sustainable packaging grows, the industry is getting creative with new, eco-friendly materials. So, next time you shop, consider not just the product, but also how its packaging is helping protect the planet.