Buzz
Aluminum foil is commonly used to wrap leftovers after a dinner party or holiday meal. Although it’s often referred to as 'tin foil,' the two terms actually describe different materials.
What’s the distinction between tin foil and aluminum foil?
In the early 20th century, most foil was made from tin. It was used for packaging—such as lining cigarette packs and wrapping chewing gum sticks—and for food storage. The issue was that it gave everything it touched a distinctive 'tinny' flavor, much like food stored too long in a tin can.
Tin foil had a variety of purposes beyond wrapping. For a while, it even served as a medium for recording sound, as seen with Thomas Edison’s famous 1877 recitation of 'Mary Had a Little Lamb,' which was recorded on tin foil. However, since these recordings had a short lifespan, manufacturers soon turned to wax cylinders.
In 1926, the U.S. Foil Company, the parent of Reynolds Metals, introduced aluminum foil. It quickly became popular due to its lightweight, non-corrosive properties. The material could be rolled thinner, making it more cost-effective, and the yield per roll was much higher compared to other types of foil. One of the first products to be pre-wrapped in aluminum foil was Edy’s Pie, known back then as Eskimo Pie.
Although tin foil has not been in widespread use for nearly a century, some people still use the old name. Perhaps it's because it has fewer syllables than aluminum, or maybe it’s simply a term passed down by generations—after all, it’s what grandma always called it.
