WHAT IS CELLOPHANE?

 

 

Sometimes it is just good to know a little about the products we are using. When I have tried to use plastic wrap in place of cellophane the project usually turns out poorly. Why?  Typically cello has a lot more body and is thicker than plastic wrap, so I quickly gave up trying to improvise with plastic wrap.

Maybe it is easier to start off with what cellophane isn't! Cellophane, which is also known as cello, is not plastic kitchen wrap. Plastic kitchen wrap has been around for about 100 years but gained popularity during WWII as a substitute for aluminum foil which was in short supply at that time. Food grade plastic wrap is thin, clingy, dissolves when placed near a heat source and is usually quite narrow in width.

A little later in history Jacque Brandenberger developed cellophane (early 1900's) in Switzerland. The idea apparently came to him during dinner out at a restaurant when he witnessed a guest spill a glass of wine on the white tablecloth. He thought.... how handy it would be to just wipe up the spill rather than all the commotion of changing linens during dinner. He began working on development of a textile with a clear coating.  Although that endeavor failed, it was the beginning of the transparent layer we now call cellophane which is thicker, full-bodied, not clingy, heat tolerant, and comes in some pretty wide widths.

Dupont perfected Jacque's original cellophane by improving the moisture proofing. True... cellophane may have begun as a product being developed for the food service industry, but it quickly caught on in the packaging industry because of it's bacteria, moisture and grease resistance. Cello keeps products fresher because of its low air permeability. When used as a gift wrapping it provides a layer of clear protection for your decorative paper wrappings, it is a nice filler for gift bags and gift baskets, it is a heat sealable, food safe barrier, that is widely used as the finishing wrap on gift baskets and other gift items.

Amazingly enough cellophane is made from wood and/or cotton pulp...I know...neither of these products are transparent! With further processing, washing and bleaching the finished product that we use today is created. It comes in varying clarity and thickness, and can be purchased on rolls, in sheets and even pre-made cello bags. Cellophane is a biodegradable, eco-friendly product that can be found not only in clear, but also in printed and solid colors.
 
Whitman's candy company was the first to use cellophane to package their candy samplers. We still enjoy using it for packaging candy and much more. 

Some uses for cellophane are.....

   Gift baskets, mugs and bottles

   Gift wrapping

   Floral wrap

   Substitute for tissue paper

   Food safe barrier

   Food packaging

   Protective and/or decorative table covering

   General crafting

Wow! Just noticed that people are wrapping themselves in cellophane during workouts to speed up weight loss. I think I'll pass on this use, but it just goes to show that there ARE many uses for cellophane.

 

 

Food Safe Barriers For Pretty Favor Boxes.

 

Ribbons and Favors often recommend a food safe barrier in our product descriptions.  Creating a food safe barrier is very simple.  Using products manufactured specifically to be in contact with food to line your containers will open up a whole new gift packaging and favor packaging world for food products.  You don't need to be limited....by taking a pretty box or container that does not specifically say it is food safe and lining it with a food safe barrier it will protect your food from contact with chemicals that may not have not been rated for food use.

Of course, our favorite product to use for creating a food safe barrier is Ribbons and Favors own cello products.  Cellophane comes in sheets, rolls and bags.  But, there are times when we use other food safe barriers.  If you take a peek in our supply cupboards you will also find wax paper, aluminum foil, cupcake liners, candy liners, disposable nut cups, parchment, plastic wrap, butcher paper, freezer paper and even plastic bags.

We do love to use a pretty cupcake liner or muffin liner inside a cute favor box!  Must admit though I have a teeny bit of an obsession with fancy cupcake liners and wraps, but that's for another time.

Food safety techniques can be used when putting ribbon around cakes by applying a band of wax paper the same width as the ribbon around the cake first, then place the finishing ribbon right over top of your wax paper strip. Food safe papers can be cut with fancy scissors to create a decorative edge. It really is simple to keep unwrapped food items safe and still have endless packaging options.

If cello isn't going to work, look around your kitchen or in the kitchen isles of your local grocery store, you will find a number of  food safe barriers.  Then the sky's the limit, so to speak.  Slip a sumptuous brownie into a gourmet box lined with a food safe barrier.  Tie it up with a pretty ribbon.  Ahhhh... safety and beauty...a perfect union!