A Cool Invention: The History of the Styrofoam Cooler

closeup of bottle sitting in ice
 

From beachside beverages to industrial shipping, the Styrofoam cooler has been keeping things thoroughly chilled-out for over 60 years. The very first portable coolers were made from Styrofoam, and amazingly, their technology that still holds up today. Have you ever wondered how this invention came to be and how it’s changed our relationship to refrigerated goods?

Part of our packaging expertise at AirSea is understanding where the packaging industry has been and where it’s going. The Styrofoam cooler is still a great portable cooling solution, and AirSea offers a full selection of Styrofoam coolers and accessories. Enjoy this brief history of a great invention and check out the cool things that AirSea has to offer.

The Origins of Styrofoam


Otis McIntire, an engineer at Dow Chemical, developed Styrofoam in 1944. With World War II still raging, Dow was looking for an inexpensive alternative to rubber. McIntire’s invention gave them much more.

Polystyrene was already around, but McIntire took it to the next level by pressurizing it and adding another substance called isobutylene. The result was the foamed polystyrene product that became known as Styrofoam. Within a few years, it was all over the world.

A License to Chill


Numerous inventions such as Styrofoam peanuts for packaging began appearing in the 1950s and 60s. But the new material also had several properties that made it uniquely well-suited for ice chests, including:

  • Excellent capacity for temperature insulation

  • Ability to hold liquids without leaks

  • Inexpensive to manufacture

  • Solid durability


It wasn’t long before a company called Coleman saw how these qualities could be applied. In February 1957, Coleman introduced the first Styrofoam ice chest. Unlike metal ice chests, this cooler was light enough to easily take out for a day at the beach, and it was also great for commercial customers entering the then-new field of refrigerated shipping.

Styrofoam coolers have seen numerous updates and improvements since then, but they remain popular for their winning balance of performance and cost-effectiveness. Those traits are rooted in the science of Styrofoam and how it harnesses the insulating power of air bubbles.

styrofoam cooler with lid

Why is Styrofoam a Great Material for Coolers?


The science behind Styrofoam’s insulating qualities is relatively easy to understand. It’s all about how the substance prevents heat transfer:

  • Cold things get warm because they conduct heat. A coffee mug gets warm because it’s conducting heat from the hot coffee you just poured in it, while a cold drink gets warm on a hot day because the can is conducting heat from the environment.

  • Styrofoam keeps things cold because it’s a poor conductor of heat. In other words, heat takes a long time to penetrate the material, so it keeps what’s inside cold for longer.

  • That’s because gases are less heat-conductive than solids or liquids, and Styrofoam contains billions of tiny air bubbles inside its structure. It takes the essential properties of a solid and combines them with some of the insulating properties of a gas.


When they’re augmented with cooling packaging materials, such as gel coolant packs, polystyrene coolers become even more effective. They can even be used to ship highly sensitive materials, such as biological specimens. To help you find the cooling technology that’s just right for your application, AirSea has a full range of temperature-controlled shipping products available.

woman working in shipping department

Complete Cargo Cooling Solutions from AirSea


A Styrofoam cooler from AirSea Containers is a proven solution for refrigerating your products in transit. Our coolers are refinements of 60 years of Styrofoam cooler evolution, and they’re more effective than ever. What’s more, AirSea has much more than just coolers—we’ve got everything you need to keep your products refrigerated and protected. Take a look at what we offer:

Finding cost-effective solutions for refrigerated shipping can be challenging for many businesses, particularly small ones. High-performance Styrofoam coolers are just one of AirSea’s many options that can help. This time-tested technology has kept its cool for over half a century, and it just might be the perfect refrigerated packaging material for you.

If you’re interested in learning more about the best ways to keep your goods cool during shipping, AirSea Containers is here to help! Call us at (866) 596-9448 or get a free quote online.

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