For as long as many of us can remember, the vast majority of the cigars we have encountered have come wrapped in some form of transparent, plastic-like material. Commonly known as cellophane, this clear cover is actually a plant-based product, and not plastic at all. It also has a ton of benefits, very few downsides, and a surprisingly lengthy history. 

But there's way more to these see-through sleeves than meets the eye, including some pros and cons that may require you to reconsider how you transport and store your cigars. Let's get to it, shall we? 

When Was Cellophane Invented?

The story of cellophane's invention is long, complex, and filled with experimentation. At least that's what she said...

So to make things as brief and digestible as possible (and to lay off the filthy jokes), we turn toward Britannica for a quick synopsis of how the material came to creation. All you cigar nerds take note because this shit is fascinating.

Cellophane in the 21st Century

Invention backstory exposed, it's time to examine modern-day cellophane, and how it plays a role in protecting the products we purchase every day.

First of all, we must mention that since cellophane is primarily plant-based, its cellulose structure is not nearly as harmful to the environment as say, plastics made from crude oil or coal. However, the caustic chemicals used to convert this organic matter into a transparent sheet film, as well as the amount of energy required to produce the final product should be taken into account. You can read about that side of the story here.

While cellulose is commonly derived from the cellular components within wood, plants such as hemp and cotton have also been adopted as viable sources for the product. This makes the product fully biodegradable, and far safer for marine life, at least in theory. 

Because cellophane can be constructed in almost any thickness, shape, or size imaginable, the modern world has embraced the product with open arms. A more ideal material for shielding a surface from contaminants is hard to imagine, with everything from fruits and meats to packs of cookies and fireworks being wrapped in the stuff. And while water does tend to bead up and roll off cellophane, it does gradually allow water vapor to pass through its outer shell, which is precisely where the cigar business comes into the picture. 

How Cellophane Improves Cigar Packaging

While more and more cigar manufacturers are turning toward a creative alternative to cellophane, like tissue paper, waxed paper tube sleeves, aluminum tubos, and even erroneous tobacco leaves, cellophane remains the most widely utilized. 

From a production standpoint, cigar makers either purchase the product in bulk pre-fitted to size or order sheets of the stuff and then manufacture the tubes to the requirements required in house with machinery. From there, all the packaging department has to do is slide cigars into the tubes and place them in a box. 

This not only makes transit more secure, but once placed on a shelf in a store, it keeps grubby digits from soiling or damaging the cigar. Cellophane also creates a prime place for a barcode or a price sticker to be applied. It also gives the cigar maker the opportunity to add a sticker describing the vitola, dimensions, blend name, and even wrapper leaf varietal.  

Cellophane and Cigar Storage

While certain collectors, and publications like Cigar Aficionado, advise people to "remove the cellophane if they intend to age," there are certain situations when it is best for you to keep those transparent sleeves on your stogies. While cellophane will prevent humidity from reaching the cigar to a certain extent, it is still a plant-based, selectively permeable product, and thus does allow moisture to pass through. Furthermore, since cellophane slows the drying process, it offsets common issues with stogies prematurely drying out due to lack of humidity in a properly sealed and calibrated humidor.

And yes, a yellowish tint to the cellophane does typically mean that the cigar has seen extensive amounts of aging, but that does not always constitute that the cigar is in its prime. Remember, premium cigars arrive ready to smoke, and have already undergone extensive aging prior to packaging. So that yellowish-looking cellophane may not be a good sign all the time, and the cigar might be well past its prime.

Additionally, cellophane does serve as a form of protection in a Klaro humidor. A completely nude cigar resting directly above a Klaro Hydro Tray will absorb a lot more moisture in a rapid manner than a cellophane-sleeved stogie. So if you are rotating your cigars (like you should) every week, always make sure that whatever you are placing closest to your humidity source has a cellophane buffer surrounding it.

However, if you intend to take those stogies on a fishing trip or out on the town one evening, leave that cellophane alone. Not only will it protect the wrapper of the cigar, but it will also protect the foot from damage if the cigar gets dropped. Just remember that while a high-grade cigar travel case is your best form of cigar protection and transportation, once those cigars get removed all bets are off. 

Are There Any Side-Effects to Cellophane?

Now as for the argument that cellophane alters the flavor of a cigar, that has very little to do with the tobacco coming into contact with the material, but more to do with how it influences the aging and humidification process. Some people swear they can detect flavor-based differentiation between an open-air aged cigar and a cellophane-stored stogie.

But these types of individuals are exceedingly rare. Most people cannot detect any difference in taste, and oftentimes even texture or moistness. 

However, if you are up for a little experimentation, take two of the exact same stogie, remove the cellophane on one stick, and then age them side-by-side in a humidor. Rotate like you normally would, but always keep both cigars next to one another for the course of a year. Then, pour a tall glass of water (no sense in jading the palate, right?), and either fire them up in a single day or space out your smoking by a day and see if you can tell any difference between the two. Either way, we're pretty sure you are going to enjoy what you discover in both cigars, even if one tastes a bit different than the other.