About Robert Gair
Lived 1839 – 1927 (aged 87–88). Robert Gair was a British and American inventor.
Robert Gair (July 31, 1839— August 1, 1927) was a Scottish-American printer and paper bag maker who invented the folding carton in 1879.
Born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1839, he emigrated to the United States at age 14. Gair invented the paperboard folding carton by accident when a metal ruler used to crease bags shifted position and cut the bag. Gair found that by cutting and creasing paperboard in one operation, he could make prefabricated cartons. He ultimately entered the corrugated fiberboard shipping container business in the 1900s. His idea was developed and utilized by E. S. & A. Robinson with whom he had long-term business dealings.
Gair founded a paper empire and occupied several buildings in the area of Brooklyn now known as Dumbo, many of which still bear his name.
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Robert Gair's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Robert Gair?
inventor
When was Robert Gair born?
Robert Gair was born in 1839 in Scotland.
When did Robert Gair die?
Robert Gair died in 1927 in United States.
What was Robert Gair's occupation?
Robert Gair was an inventor.
What nationality was Robert Gair?
Robert Gair was British and American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Robert Gair. https://biography.guide/robert-gair/
MLA: "Robert Gair." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/robert-gair/.
Chicago: "Robert Gair." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/robert-gair/.
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