The History of Chip Clips

Chip clips have become ubiquitous in modern society — in fact, you probably have one tucked away in your kitchen drawer! But did you know that they are a relatively recent invention? Sometime around 1980, a man named Jim Shaw came up with an idea for a wide plastic clip that could be used to seal a bag of chips. His clip idea was intended to keep the chips from going stale once the bag was opened. In 1980, he sent the idea to Frito Lay, who then mass-produced the product. It was a success and Frito Lay’s product quickly caught on with the public. Today, chip clips are available from a variety of manufacturers and remain a popular way to seal large bags of chips to keep them fresh for longer.