THE ACCIDENTAL INVENTION OF MODERN WRAPPING PAPER
Snow was coming down hard in Kansas City that December afternoon in 1917. Dozens of shoppers rushed inside the Hall’s stationery store at 1114 Grand Avenue to find refuge within the cosy aisles of tissue paper, decorative envelopes, and greeting cards. Christmas was mere weeks away, and the Hall brothers had been supplying the town with the ordinary things that made the holidays magical. That afternoon, however, was unordinary. Perhaps it was the cold wind that drew more people into their little shop. Perhaps it was just an order mishap. Rollie and Joyce Hall found themselves out of wrapping paper; the brown manila kind, the thin red and green tissue, and even the regular white one.
As Joyce searched through their storage, Rollie went back to the counter, facing one of the longest lines they had ever experienced. He smiled at the first gentleman, hoping he would ask for a card, an envelope, beeswax, or velvet ribbons.
“Rollie, dear,” he said. “I am looking for several sheets of your green tissue paper. We have a mountain of gifts to wrap tonight.”
Before Rollie Hall had the chance to say his word, his brother appeared out of nowhere with what he called “the latest trend from Paris” in his hands. Joyce laid multiple sheets of crisp paper with a variety of ornate geometric patterns and delicate florals.
"It is high-class lining paper from France," Joyce explained, making it sound exclusive. "Look how thick it is. You cannot see through it at all. It is much stronger than regular tissue, and the patterns are truly festive."
The room fell silent for a moment. In a state of frenzy, all customers rushed to the front to check the new gifting accessory. What these customers did not know was that they were witnessing the exact moment modern wrapping paper was born. The Halls did not present the latest trend from Paris. Out of despair, they invented it. The decorative liners, ordered to be cut and inserted inside envelope flaps, inspired the production of thicker, crisper ornate paper that was intended to be wrapped around the most precious gifts. Gifts were not only meant to be covered, but also decorated.
Gift Wrapping Before 1917
Before that fateful night before Christmas 1917, it was customary to use thin, almost transparent tissue paper to cover up presents; solid coloured with no motifs or decorations. A cheaper alternative was manila and brown craft paper or even old newspapers, while the upper classes in Europe ordered custom-made sheets decorated with lace and floral drawings. The latter was never meant to be mass-produced. It was a luxury for the few.
Decorative wrapping paper that is sturdier than tissue paper yet softer and more flexible than craft paper was introduced to the market by accident. Two brothers, Joyce and Rollie Hall, owned a stationary shop in Kansas city that provided the locals with gifting accessories. In 1917, they could not meet the market demand for wrapping materials and ran out of stock. Instead of sending their customers to competitors, they found some unused patterned paper meant for envelope liners left in their storage. This paper was thicker than tissue paper but softer and more elegant than manila. It was the perfect bridge between the cheap options for the masses and the luxurious custom kinds for the few.
Seeing the various patterned options, the Halls’ customers did not complain about the alternative options; instead, they were excited. In 1919, after realising the market potential, the brothers began designing and printing their own patterned sheets. By the 1930s, they upgraded from sheets to continuous long rolls and added matching ribbons to their product lines. Seeing the massive retail success in Kansas City, competing card makers and paper mills across America and Europe quickly copied the business model. Department stores recognised that decorative wrap served as excellent branding and advertising. Large retailers began buying custom-printed paper to offer free, beautifully branded gift-wrapping services directly to shoppers at checkout counters.
Unique Wrapping Paper Featuring Original Artworks
Created to transform gifting into an art form, Manuela Menzi designs original collages that decorate gifting accessories for the most precious gifts. Here you can find things you can hold, send, and keep. Designed with care in Zurich, Switzerland.