What are paper clips made out of?

Most paper clips are made out of galvanized steel wire, which is made from iron, carbon and zinc. In a fast process, galvanized wire is fed off a spool into a machine and transformed and bent as it passes through.

Hundreds of paper clips are created per minute in paper clip-making machines. The galvanized wire runs by small wheels that catch and cut it in the correct places to form the familiar paper clips. Australia is the world's largest iron exporter, and most paper clips are made in North America, specifically by the office product manufacturer Staples in Boston, Mass.