What is plastic wrap made of?

Plastic wrap, which is commonly referred to as saran wrap, cling film or food wrap, is generally made from PVC, or Polyvinylidene Chloride. It was developed in 1933 by Ralph Wiley.

While working for Dow Chemical, Wiley was attempting to clean glass beakers in his lab when he discovered the material that would come to be known as plastic wrap. To make plastic wrap, plastic granules are melted and poured into a die that creates a stretchable plastic tube. Air is then used to stretch the plastic before it is rolled and cut into the rolls of plastic wrap commonly found on grocery shore shelves.