The tin container

Tin is a very soft and malleable metallic mineral. Because of these properties, tin is almost never used on its own. Instead, it combines with other metals to form alloys or to act as a protective coating.

Pewter is a tin alloy consisting of more than 90% tin. The remaining metals in the pewter could be silver, lead, and bismuth. Today, the lead content of pewter has been dramatically reduced as awareness of the harmful effects of lead increases. Being a tin-based alloy, pewter is also very malleable but not as soft due to the addition of antimony and copper. This additional strength that pewter has over tin makes it a good candidate for creating works of art. Pewter vases, picture frames, souvenirs, and artwork can be found almost anywhere in the world. Fancy versions of tin containers are pewter containers that can be used to store jewelry, expensive cigars, or can be turned into music boxes. The added shine of the pewter due to the mix of silver with the tin content gives the pewter container additional elegance.

The cans we are used to are tin-lined metal containers. Since tin does not oxidize or react with food, it forms a protective barrier that keeps the food safe inside. Production costs can also be kept low due to the easy handling of tin when making cans. The ease of manufacturing allows factories to produce not only cans, but also tin containers in many shapes and sizes. Tall tin spaghetti barrels add a touch of artistry to the kitchen shelf. Cookies packaged in tin containers give the feeling of receiving a special gift when they are given to someone. Even cookies were once sold in airtight tin containers. Modern cookies in tin containers are first wrapped in plastic, as the tin container can still allow some air to enter.

Tin containers are also brought to school in the form of tin lunch boxes and tin pencil cases. These tin accessories are often brightly colored and sometimes even engraved with popular themes or cartoon characters.