How artificial Christmas trees have evolved over time

From Feather Trees to Modern Marvels: A Brief History of Artificial Christmas Trees

As a Christmas decoration, artificial trees are becoming increasingly popular. Their versatility makes them more appealing than traditional trees, and if you wish to include several colored leaves to the mix, you’re covered.

Of course, natural or real trees are great. And sometimes, you may be tempted to choose them over the faux (they’ve got loads of benefits and upsides as well). But wait, have you imagined your space without an artificial Christmas tree?  It’s hard.

Normally, one would expect that artificial trees existed right from the days of Adam. But No, they’re new. Call them a modern creation and you’ll be making no mistake.

The Technological Advancements That Revolutionized the Artificial Christmas Tree Industry

The first artificial Christmas trees ‘appeared’ in Germany in 1880.  And the fun fact is: Germany’s tree numbers began to decline as a result of the popularity of Christmas trees. Gradually, a real problem emerged with deforestation, so the Goose Feather artificial trees were created to combat it.

Real goose feathers were used to create the Goose Feather trees. And to make branches, they were racked up by wire. Wires were tied to dowels which eventually formed the roots.

Germans began using these quite a bit, and shortly after they became popular throughout Europe. Regardless, they weren’t very sturdy, so they couldn’t host a lot of ornaments.

Around 1900, the Addis Brush Company recognized that an artificial Christmas tree could be made better. This company is most famous for producing the first toilet brushes, but they also used their color-dyed bristles to create faux leaves for artificial trees. These were, of course, much stronger than trees made of goose feathers.

Next came aluminum trees, which gained popularity during the 1950s. These were the first successful commercial Christmas Trees that weren’t white, with a futuristic look adored by consumers. However innovative, their popularity waned after the Charlie Brown’s 1965 Christmas Special.