Zig-Zag (company)

Zig-Zag is a brand primarily known for its rolling papers, used for making cigarettes and other smokable products. The brand originated in France in 1855 with the Braunstein brothers, who patented a method of interleaving rolling papers. This interleaving allowed one paper to pull the next from the pack, a novel innovation at the time.

The name "Zig-Zag" is derived from the design of the original packaging which featured the image of a Zouave soldier, a type of French infantryman known for their distinctive North African-inspired uniforms, during the Battle of Sevastopol. According to the company's history, a Zouave's pipe was shattered by a musket ball, but he ingeniously salvaged tobacco by wrapping it in a piece of paper torn from his cartridge. This event, whether factual or apocryphal, provided the inspiration for the brand’s name and imagery.

Over the years, the Zig-Zag brand has expanded beyond rolling papers to include other smoking accessories like blunt wraps, cigarette tubes, and rolling machines. The brand has become widely recognized and associated with smoking culture, often appearing in popular media and becoming a well-known symbol in certain subcultures. Zig-Zag has been owned by various companies throughout its history and continues to be available in many countries worldwide. Its iconic image and branding remain recognizable even in the face of evolving smoking trends and regulations.