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n– 1908
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nAnSwiss chemist named Jacques E. Brandenberger did some things most ofnus do: he ate out a restaurant, noticed another diner spilling hisnwine on the tablecloth, and watched the waiter exchange thennow-stained tablecloth with a fresh, clean one.
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nButnthen Brandenberger did something most of us have never done: he usednthe things he’d observed as inspiration to get busy and inventnsomething new. Brandenberger hoped to create a clear, waterproofncoating for cloth, something that would repel, rather than absorb,nthings like wine. He was a bit disappointed that, once dry, thencoating peeled right off. The clear film apparently was no good atnpreventing stains on cloth—but, Brandenberger thought, looknwhat it can do!
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Theninventor was able to use his new film in gas masks, and he sold thenfilm to Whitman’s candy company, for wrapping chocolates. Hendeveloped a machine to manufacture cellophane and helped start ancompany to sell it; he also joined forces with an American chemical companyncalled DuPont. Cellophane quickly became an important part of food packaging,nsince water, grease and oil, bacteria, and even air cannot get into ansealed cellophane package. It is also used as a base for adhesiventape, in certain batteries, as dialysis tubing, and in othernproducts.
Theninventor was able to use his new film in gas masks, and he sold thenfilm to Whitman’s candy company, for wrapping chocolates. Hendeveloped a machine to manufacture cellophane and helped start ancompany to sell it; he also joined forces with an American chemical companyncalled DuPont. Cellophane quickly became an important part of food packaging,nsince water, grease and oil, bacteria, and even air cannot get into ansealed cellophane package. It is also used as a base for adhesiventape, in certain batteries, as dialysis tubing, and in othernproducts.n
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| Clear and colored cellophane are popular for different uses. |
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nGetnCrafty!
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nOvernthe years, people have come up with tons of ways to use cellophane innarts and crafts projects. Here, here, and here are some of thesenideas!
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nSomenfine artists use cellophane. Check out the graffiti-on-cellophanenhere (scroll down to “Cellograff”). n
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