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Why Does Silly Putty Come in an Egg Shaped Container?

Like many great inventions, Silly Putty came about by accident. A scientist named James Wright was working on a rubber substitute during World War II and accidentally came up with a "bouncing putty" that eventually became known as Silly Putty.

How Much?
- According to the official Silly Putty website, over 600 lbs. of Silly Putty is produced every day. Forty-five hundred tons of Silly Putty have been produced since 1950, which translates into 300 million Silly Putty toys.
What Does it Do?
- Silly Putty is best known for its ability to bounce. A lump of Silly Putty rolled into a ball can bounce a considerable distance. Silly Putty has not changed since 1950, but printing techniques have changed so that Silly Putty no longer removes ink from paper. Silly Putty has also been used to remove lint, plug leaks and clean computer keyboards.
Why the Eggs?
- Silly Putty is well known for its egg-shaped container. According to the Silly Putty website Peter Hodgson, the person responsible for marketing Silly Putty, only had plastic Easter eggs available when he was packaging the putty. The distinctive shape was a hit and has remained so to this day.

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