 
Cellophane Packaging
William Hale Charch (1898-1958), who received a doctorate in
chemistry from The Ohio State University in 1922, invented moisture-proof
cellophane while working at DuPont. Cellophane revolutionized the food packaging
industry, allowing use of the inexpensive transparent material on meat, fruits,
vegetables, and other products.
Charch joined DuPont in 1925, and one of
his first assignments was to develop a way to moisture proof cellophane. The
goal was to improve cellophane so that it could be marketed for food
packaging. He tested ideas some 2000 times but was eventually successful
in his attempt. Food packaging has never been the same. Good pricing,
strong marketing, and a general belief that cellophane was synonymous with
cleanliness pushed cellophane sales. By 1938 cellophane sales accounted
for 25% of DuPont’s annual profit.
Charch continued his career at DuPont, serving
in several capacities including Associate Director of the Rayon Chemical
Division and Director of the Rayon Pioneering Research Section. In 1947 he
established the Textile Fibers Department’s Pioneering Research Lab. He focused
much of his career directing the development of
Teflon®
, Orlon® , Dacron® , and Lycra®. Along the way he received a variety of awards
for his work.
Cellophane History
Cellophane was originally invented in 1908 by
Jacques Brandenberger, who was a Swiss textile engineer inspired by
watching wine spilled onto a tablecloth in a restaurant. He thought that a
plastic film might be layered onto fabric for a waterproof table covering.
Though
his attempts to layer the fabric failed, Brandenberger noted that the clear coating would
peel off in a film. The rest is history. Cellophane was first produced
commercially in Switzerland in 1912. In 1923, DuPont acquired the U.S. patent
rights and began production in Buffalo, NY, in 1924.
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