Many people have been convinced for years that the small hole in soda can tabs was designed to hold a straw. It’s a clever myth… but it’s wrong. The truth is even smarter, and once you know it, you’ll never look at a can of Coke, Pepsi, or even Lipton Ice Tea the same way again.
A clever idea born out of frustration
Back in 1962, Ermal Cleon Fraze, an American engineer, was enjoying a picnic when he realized he didn’t have a can opener for his beer. Rather than give up, he improvised, using a car bumper to pry it open. That little moment of frustration sparked a brilliant idea: the pull tab we all know today.
Fast forward to 1975, and Daniel f. Cudzik stepped in to improve Fraze’s design. He made the tab permanent so it wouldn’t fall off and litter everywhere. But Cudzik added something else that most people overlook: that small oval hole in the tab.
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Not for straws, but for something smarter
Forget the straw theory. That hole isn’t a fancy holder for your paper straw. Its real job? It acts as a lever to reduce the effort it takes to puncture the can’s lid. Think of it as a tiny bit of engineering genius hidden in plain sight.
Thanks to this ergonomic tweak, popping open a can takes less force than it would otherwise. And yes, you can still stick a straw through it if you like… but that’s just a happy coincidence.
The eco-friendly side of the story
Here’s where it gets even better. That hole also helps save aluminum. By removing just that little bit of metal, manufacturers use less material on each tab. It sounds small, but when you multiply it across the 4.7 billion cans sold in France in 2024 alone, it adds up to a serious environmental impact.
To put it in perspective, that’s a billion more cans than a decade ago. And while two-thirds of cans in France are recycled, the European average is higher at 75%. So every gram saved matters.
Cans are tougher than they look
Here’s another fun fact to share over your next soda: the wall of a can is thinner than a human hair—yet it can handle up to 90 kilograms of vertical pressure. Each can weighs only about 20 grams, depending on the size and metal used. Next time you crack one open, remember that you’re holding a small miracle of engineering in your hand.
The little details that make life simpler
It’s funny how many of the objects we use every day have hidden stories. The hole in the can tab isn’t just a quirk; it’s the result of decades of smart design, trial, and error. And now, every time you open a soda, you’ll know you’re benefiting from an invention that started with one man’s very relatable problem at a picnic.
So, when someone says that little hole is only for straws, just smile and share the real story. Picture fraze in 1962, using a car bumper to open his beer — without knowing he was about to change how we all open cans forever.
