Alfred W. Fielding

Why this artist matters now

Alfred W. Fielding was an American inventor and materials engineer whose work fundamentally shaped postwar packaging design. In 1957, working with Marc Chavannes, he developed bubble wrap, a material that became essential to modern logistics and product protection. His innovation emerged from experiments with textured plastics and air-filled chambers, establishing a new category of protective material that remains largely unchanged in principle. Fielding's work bridged industrial problem-solving and everyday material culture during the rapid expansion of consumer shipping in the postwar era.

Source: Moma Bulk 2026 05 04 · Trust score: 92% · Updated 1mo ago