We took a look at the origin of glitter and its two festive
friends, sequence and confetti and found some very interesting facts.
Enjoy!
Glitter describes an assortment of very small,
flat, and reflective particles. When these particles are applied to surfaces,
they each reflect light in different angles causing the surface to sparkle or
glitter. Glitter is similar to, but smaller than confetti or sequins. Glitter has been produced and used decoratively
since prehistoric times from many different materials including mica, insects, glass, and now plastic.
The first production of modern
glitter has been sometimes been credited to American cattle farmer and
machinist, Henry Ruschmann, shortly after the start of WWII. With German glass glitter
unavailable due to the war, Ruschmann found a market for scrap material ground
into glitter made of plastic. He founded Meadowbrook Inventions, Inc. in
Bernardsville New Jersey, and the company is still a major producer of
industrial glitter today.
As early as
30,000 year ago, flake mica was used to give caves paintings a glittering
appearance. Primitive
humans are believed to have used cosmetics, which may have included powdered hematite, a sparkling mineral. Over 60,000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians
produced glittering cosmetics from the iridescent shells of beetles as well as finely ground green malachite crystal. Prior to modern plastics, particles of glass
were used to create glittering surfaces, and glass
glitter is still produced commercially.
Glittering surfaces have been found to be used since prehistoric times in the arts and in cosmetics. Sparkling fabrics have come into fashion through the ages. Prior to fabrics made with modern glitter, sequins were sewn or woven onto fabric to give it a glittering appearance. Today, edible glitter made from gum arabic and other ingredients is even used by culinary artists.
Due to its unique characteristics, glitter has also proven to be useful forensic evidence. Because of the tens of thousands of different commercial glitters, identical glitter particles can be compelling evidence that a suspect has been at a crime scene. Glitter particles are easily transferred through the air or by touch, yet cling to bodies and clothing, often unnoticed by suspects.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glitter
Picture credit: www.pinterest.com
Picture credit: www.pinterest.com
Picture credit: www.pinterest.com
Picture credit: www.pinterest.com
No one really knows for sure when sequins were first invented.
However, gold sequins were found in King Tut's tomb. Excavators also found a
shimmering, sequined shirt designed for King Tut to wear in the afterlife.
Since this Egyptian King lived from approximately 1341-1323 B.C., sequins are
thousands of years old.
Confetti was actually first used in Paris in 1891. Someone
was taking down the decorations after a party at a really big theatrical revue
called "le Casino de Paris" They decided to cut up the decorations
and drop them on the guests the next evening. No one had seen Confetti before
and was enthralled to the point of giddiness. Within 4 Years Confetti was being
made by machine and being sold all over the world.
Picture credit: www.pinterest.com
Picture credit: www.pinterest.com
Picture credit: www.pinterest.com
