cellophane Flexible, transparent film made of regenerated cellulose and used mostly as a wrapping material. It is made by dissolving wood pulp or other plant material in an alkali, to which carbon disulphide is added to form viscose. This is forced through a narrow slit into a dilute acid where it precipitates (separates as solid particles) as a film of cellulose. It is then dried and waterproofed.

Cellophane Trade name for the first of the transparent, non‐porous films, made from wood pulp (cellulose), patented in 1908 by the Swiss chemist Jacques‐Edwin Brandenburger; waterproof cellophane for food wrapping was developed by Du Pont in 1926. Still widely used for wrapping foods and other commodities.

cel·lo·phane / ˈseləˌfān/ • n. a thin transparent wrapping material made from viscose.