- The earliest wrapping paper was tissue or brown butcher paper. More decorative wrapping paper arrived with the industrial revolution in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The printing press made it possible to mass produce colors and designs on paper sheets. The first professional wrapping paper manufacturer was Hy-Sill Manufacturing, founded in 1903. Greeting card staple Hallmark started carry wrapping paper in 1917, first using the decorative paper selected for envelope liners.
- While today's wrapping paper has hundreds of different designs, the earliest paper had more central themes, focusing on nature. Cartoon wrapping paper didn't become the norm until the 1980s, when licensing of popular characters exploded onto the scene. No matter what is printed on it, the most important feature of wrapping paper is that it's flexible and sturdy. It needs to be able to survive creases and cuts without tearing and survive transport from the giver to the recipient.
- Most wrapping paper is made of, you guessed it, paper. However, it is not just any paper. Manufacturers specifically look for paper made from softwoods, usually conifer trees. For the colors and designs to show up well, the pulp has to be bleached before it's dyed. Most wrapping papers with foil have the foil pressed into the paper during printing. Solid foil would crinkle up and be difficult to use for wrapping gifts.
- Wrapping paper usually has the same design repeated over and over, meaning that an artist only had to create a small section instead of trying to come up with ideas for an entire roll. Artists will either hand draw the design or create it using image software. Once the design is ready, the manufacturer creates a template and sends it to the printer. This way all of the paper is uniform. The manufacturer often will use the template again to create coordinating gift tags, cards, bags or ribbon. This is easiest with a small and simple artwork.
- With the focus on the environment, more and more wrapping paper manufacturers are turning to unbleached or recycled paper. These papers don't have quite the look of traditional wrapping paper, but many are willing to sacrifice appearance in the favor of saving some trees.
