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Humans have always used packaging, whether it was to hold berries during hunter-gatherer times or to mail the newest smartphone. Packaging has evolved along with humans.
Early Packaging 📜
Hunters and Gatherers (est. 200,000 years ago)
There is no recorded evidence of when the first packaging was invented and used, however, historians agree that it was during the early human nomadic period. Early humans were nomads, meaning they were consistently moving while hunting and gathering food along their way. Due to their consistent relocation, people are believed to construct packaging to carry their food, tools, and other valuables with them.
Materials
- Large leaves and vines intertwined
- Hollowed out nuts and gourds
- Animal hide
- Hollowed out wood
Domesticated Villages (est. 12,000 years ago)
When humans began to domesticate animals and plants, villages began to form. With settling, came less of a need for packaging to carry belongings and more of a need for storing them. The packaging was used to store crops for the winter and protect goods from animals.
Materials
- Woven sacks and baskets
- Wooden boxes and crates
- Clay containers
- Animals skin
Established Cities (est. 6,000 years ago)
With the rise of established cities came significant technological advancements in packaging. Trade routes began to pop up between cities and brought the exchange of goods. Durable packaging was created to transport large amounts of goods over long distances.
Materials
- Blown glass
- Wood barrels
- Paper
Modern Packaging 📦
Industrial Revolution (est. 200 years ago)
During the Industrial Revolution products began to be made by machines instead of by hand. This allowed for an increased level of production of all types of goods, in turn leading to an increased dependency on durable packaging. As production jobs increased, rural residents moved into towns to obtain steady jobs and increased wages. With increased wages, people's purchasing habits evolved and bulk buying became popular. Companies developed printing methods to place their brand on the packaging of their products. Allowing users to quickly identify the maker of the product and offering visual appeal.
Packaging Options
- Corrugated cardboard
- Paper-based materials
- Glass jars and bottles
- Metal cans & tins
- Composite & multi-layer packaging
In the early 1900s, plastics were introduced into the packaging industry. Cellulose plastic offered flexible packaging options for decades. Then in the 1960s polyethylene was produced and quickly took over the market. Plastic packaging has dominated the market since offering producers an extended shelf life and protection for their products.
Today's Packaging
In today's market, we see a wide variety of packaging materials in all shapes and sizes. Plastic packaging still dominates many markets, however, we have seen an increase in more environmentally friendly options and a massive trend toward fiber-based products called "paperization".Another big focus in today's packaging is e-commerce. With the internet, online shopping has skyrocketed, creating a need for e-commerce items to be shipped from the distributors to consumers, efficiently. This packaging must be durable to withstand the stresses of shipping.
How can Scrapp help?
Scrapp is an education-first platform. We help organizations track their waste footprint - from packaging to products - to minimize their impact on the planet, using data. But what use is that data if you don't know how to communicate the progress being made? Scrapp's digital tools enable organizations to increase waste program engagement and reduce waste going to landfill by making waste disposal information readily available. Reach out to the team to learn more about how we can help you.
Resources
- https://uspackagingandwrapping.com/blog/the-history-of-packaging.html
- https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/cdfs-133#:~:text=When%20containers%20were%20needed%2C%20nature,for%20seeking%20and%20gathering%20food.
- https://crawfordpackaging.com/blog/history-of-packaging/