Cellophane, a staple of most modern-day kitchens, was invented by accident in 1908. The idea for waterproof cloth came to Jacques Edwin Brandenberger after he observed a wine stain on a restaurant tablecloth. Though he succeeded in producing a thin, clear film, he could not get it to stick to cloth. He eventually abandoned the waterproof cloth idea and focused on experimenting with the thin viscose sheet. After a decade of experimenting, Brandenberger successfully built a machine capable of mass-producing his cellulose sheets. He patented the production methods and machines in 1917.

Cellophane is made from wood, cotton, hemp, and other natural elements containing cellulose fibers. The cellulose material is dissolved in a solution of carbon disulfide and alkali. The resulting mixture is a liquid known as viscose. To convert the viscose back into cellulose, the solution is sent through a slit into an acid bath. Cellulose, and therefore cellophane, is made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

In 1923, DuPont was sold the rights to manufacture and sell cellophane in North and Central America. DuPont scientist William Hale Charch and other researchers developed a process for making waterproof cellophane. Charch conducted more than two thousand experiments before finding the right mixture in 1927. Thus, DuPont began producing a wide line of regular and waterproof cellophanes--with different colors, thicknesses, and textures. DuPont also found ways to make cellophane production more cost-effective. Its scientists adapted machines to cut and fold the thin material. The chemical company also developed the adhesives to seal cellophane. With DuPont's aggressive marketing, cellophane became the common packaging for bread, cakes, cookies, and meats. The company sold cellophane as packaging for nonfood items such as toiletries and tobacco, and it established a department to come up with new uses for cellophane, such as holiday gift basket wrapping.

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