The history of plastic packaging begins in 1862, when Alexander Parkes presented the first plastic, Parkesine, at the Great International Exhibition in London. Parkesine was a bio-based material derived from cellulose.  Cellophane was the first plastic to be used for packaging. Jacques E. Brandenburger, the inventor of cellophane, was inspired to create a liquid-repellent fabric after seeing wine soak into a tablecloth.    Here are some other milestones in the history of plastic packaging: 1831: Styrene was first distilled from a balsam tree. 1965: The one-piece polyethylene shopping bag... Show more

The history of plastic packaging begins in 1862, when Alexander Parkes presented the first plastic, Parkesine, at the Great International Exhibition in London. Parkesine was a bio-based material derived from cellulose. 
Cellophane was the first plastic to be used for packaging. Jacques E. Brandenburger, the inventor of cellophane, was inspired to create a liquid-repellent fabric after seeing wine soak into a tablecloth. 
 

Here are some other milestones in the history of plastic packaging:
1831: Styrene was first distilled from a balsam tree.
1965: The one-piece polyethylene shopping bag was patented by the Swedish company Celloplast.
World War II: The British military used plastic in secret. 

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