With Tupperware’s fate all but sealed tight, readers share their favourite memories
Tupperware parties hold a special kind of nostalgia, but the days of the popular tight-sealing plastic container brand may be about to end.
Shares in the Massachusetts firm, which became famous in the 1950s, crashed by almost 50% last week after it told investors there was “substantial doubt about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern”.
With a potential emotional farewell looming, we gathered your favourite Tupperware-adjacent memories.
On 27 February 1979 a small group of intrepid travellers left on the first train trip from London to Hong Kong. I was one of the group. Others worried about accidents and illnesses, food availability and quality, sleeping and washroom arrangements and whatnot. I was worried about clean underwear; we were only allowed two small cases. Forty-two days. What to do?
I invented the portable Tupperware laundry. I bought the two largest size Tupperware boxes available at the time and, with lid underneath, lined both of my small cases with these, packing into them. I took detergent powder in sachets and a short washing-lines with hooks at either end.
During the day, one or both of the boxes held soapy water swishing to the rhythm of the train, dirty laundry in, lid on. Placed under seats. By evening everything was clean as could be, dirty water poured out in the lavatories and the boxes rinsed with fresh water from the taps. Overnight my little washing-lines with wet laundry were fixed at either end of whichever bunk, by morning it was bone dry. Same every day. Substantial bribes were offered for loan of said boxes but I was not overgenerous and thus arrived in Hong Kong with impeccably clean laundry.
Kudos to Tupperware, the train travellers’ irreplaceable aid!
Many years ago I got the
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