What is Tinsel Made of? / myLot

Boise, Idaho

December 24, 2025 3:04pm CST

Remember tinsel? Is it even used to decorate with now? I remember using it on our tree when I was a kid. My grandmother would have us very careful take each strand off the tree and wrap it on a card to be used again the next year. But what was it make out of? It was originally invented in Nuremberg, Germany in 1610. It was made of shredded silver. In the United States it was quite popular in the 50s and was made of lead foil. It was phased out in the 1970s due to health concerns. Modern tinsel is primarily made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or PET) polyethylene terephthalate) plastic films.

6 people like this

6 responses

OceanTiara

@RebeccasFarm (91297)

• United States

26 Dec

Oh do I remember..we had it always at home.I loved putting it on the tree as a kid.

1 person likes this

celticeagle

@celticeagle (189833)

• Boise, Idaho

26 Dec

I did too. It gave the tree such a festive look.

1 person likes this

OceanTiara

@RebeccasFarm (91297)

• United States

27 Dec

@celticeagle

@DaddyEvil (174430)

• United States

24 Dec

I remember mom having us save the tinsel from the tree in a box to use the next year. By the time I was buying Christmas decorations, it was made of plastic film. I remember the first year we could buy it in a clear plastic. It took forever to clean it up when you dropped any on the carpet.