What is Saran Wrap Made of?
History and Uses Saran Wrap, a brand name of plastic wrap, is thin synthetic resin which clings to create a tight seal. Plastic wrap is most commonly used to keep foods fresh by locking out air, preventing the absorption of moisture and the commingling of tastes and odors with other items in the refrigerator. Alexander Parkes made the first plastic wrap in 1862 when he created what he referred to as Parkesine from cotton, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, camphor and castor oil. John Wesley Hyatt followed up Alexander Parkes’ discovery with celluloid, a highly successful, but extremely flammable product. Cellophane was invented by the Swiss chemist Jacques Brandenberger in 1911. It was transparent and was commonly used for packaging. It was the No. 1 plastic film until 1963, when polyethylene took over. Polyethylene, which is the compound that Saran Wrap is made from, was accidentally discovered by the British Company of Imperial Chemicals Industries in 1933. Polyethylene is made from the po
