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Have you ever stopped to think about the unsung hero of packaging – when was cardboard invented? That brown, sturdy material that holds our deliveries, protects fragile items, and even becomes a canvas for creative DIY projects. But how did cardboard come to be, and when did this unassuming material make its grand entrance into our lives? The Genesis of Cardboard: Let’s hop into the time machine and go back to ancient civilizations like Egypt, Greece, and Rome. They were the pioneers of packaging, using materials like wood, cloth, and papyrus. However, it wasn’t until the 17th century that the first inklings of cardboard started to show up. Picture this: early cardstock was basically layered paper glued together. The Chinese were the masterminds behind this technique, using it to create nifty containers for shipping goods. As time passed, Europe caught on to this cost-effective and efficient way of packaging. The Industrial Revolution and Cardboard’s Evolution: Fast forward to the 19th century and the Industrial Revolution – that’s when cardboard truly began its metamorphosis. The demand for better packaging, thanks to the boom in mass production and global trade, spurred inventors to get creative. In 1817, Sir Malcolm Thornhill patented the first process for making single-ply paperboard – a game-changer! But the real magic happened with the Fourdrinier machine in the early 1800s. This contraption revolutionized papermaking, allowing for the mass production of paper and setting the stage for the cardboard revolution. |