Bubble wrap

Bubble wrap is a pliable transparent plastic material commonly used for protecting fragile items during shipping.

Known for its cushioning air-filled bubbles, it has also become a cultural icon, celebrated for its satisfying popping sound and alternative uses as a stress-relief tool.

In 1957, two inventors named Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes were attempting to create a three-dimensional plastic wallpaper.

Some types of bubble wrap have a lower permeation barrier film to allow longer useful life and resistance to loss of air in vacuums.

This allows the wrap to be shipped flat to retailers (taking up around 1/50 of the space in transit), who can inflate it with an air pump prior to using it for packaging.

Bubble wrap
Square-shaped bubble wrap for house insulation
Bubble wrap, standard and with colored markings as electrostatic discharge materials , and in different bubble size
A child playing with bubble wrap