Earl S. Tupper (1907–1983) trademarked his "Poly-T" plastic in 1945. Soon after, he started using it to make plastic kitchen containers. Tupperware has always been far more than just a range of storage boxes, however. Over the next twenty years, it became a suburban obsession. When Americans moved in large numbers to the suburbs (see entry under 1950s—The Way We Lived in volume 3) in the 1950s, they bought Tupperware to equip their new kitchens. Through direct selling, Tupperware turned homemakers into entrepreneurs (businesspeople) and became a symbol of the optimism and materialism of the age. Sold in bright, cheerful colors and smooth shapes, Tupperware gave a stylish, modern edge to traditional domestic accessories.

Unlike containers made from metal, glass, or china, Tupperware is light, easy-to-clean, and almost indestructible. It comes in almost any shape, from butter dishes and bowls, to ice cube trays and cocktail shakers. The merchandise was...