14 School Supplies From the Past You Can’t Buy Anymore
These long-lost school supplies once filled backpacks and desks, but now they’ve vanished from shelves and memory.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
Back in the day, school supplies weren’t just practical; they were personal, colorful, and sometimes a little weird. From scratch-and-sniff stickers to Trapper Keepers with wild designs, the items we once cherished are now extinct or impossible to find. These 14 throwback essentials were must-haves then — but good luck finding them today.
1. Trapper Keepers (Original Designs)
Liza Lagman Sperl on Flickr
These binders were loud, bold, and wildly popular in the ’80s and ’90s. Their Velcro flaps and flashy covers made them more than just a folder — they were a status symbol.
2. Scratch-and-Sniff Stickers (with Wild Scents)
Dan Gold on Unsplash
Kids once earned scratch-and-sniff stickers that smelled like pizza, root beer, or bubblegum. Teachers gave them out as rewards, and everyone traded them like currency.
3. Scented Markers That Could Stain for Days
Jonas Von Werne on Unsplash
These oversized markers came in fruity scents but also left stains that wouldn’t wash off for days. Kids loved sniffing them, even though teachers warned against it.
4. Metal Lunchbox with Thermos Sets
alexkerhead on Flickr
Before soft insulated bags took over, every kid wanted a metal lunchbox featuring their favorite cartoon or movie. Each came with a matching plastic thermos, often lost or broken by October.
5. Film Strip Projectors
Carbon Arc on Flickr
Teachers once wheeled these in for educational film strips, complete with “beep” cues to turn the frame. They were noisy, dim, and oddly magical.
6. Overhead Projectors with Transparencies
mailer_diablo on Wikimedia Commons
Once a classroom staple, these machines let teachers write on clear plastic sheets and project notes in real-time. Bulky and finicky, they often required spare bulbs and lots of patience.
7. Paper Book Covers from Grocery Bags
Marta Branco on Pexels
DIY book covers made from brown paper bags were a back-to-school ritual. Students personalized them with doodles, band logos, or hearts.
8. Pencil Boxes with Built-In Sharpeners
Markus Spiske on Unsplash
These colorful cases came with compartments, mirrors, and sometimes a manual pencil sharpener attached. They were bulky but fun, and every kid showed off theirs on day one.
9. Eraser Animals and Puzzle Erasers
Scott Beale on Flickr
Shaped like pandas, food, or mini vehicles, these erasers weren’t very useful but were insanely collectible. They were swapped more than used, often falling apart quickly.
10. Giant Crayon Boxes with Built-In Sharpeners
Leisy Vidal on Unsplash
The 64-pack Crayola box was the holy grail of school supplies. Complete with a sharpener in the back, it made kids the envy of their class.
11. Pop Quiz Spelling Workbooks
Liza Lagman Sperl on Flickr
These thin workbooks were used daily in elementary classrooms for spelling drills and timed tests. The paper was flimsy, and the pressure was real.
12. Pen Erasers That Never Worked
Mick Haupt on Unsplash
These pink or white erasers were made specifically for pen ink — but mostly just smudged everything. Every student had one, hoping it would magically erase their mistakes.
13. Desktop Pencil Sharpeners
Coyau on Wikimedia Commons
Those heavy, metal sharpeners bolted to classroom walls or desks were once the only way to keep pencils sharp. Kids would use them just to escape class for a moment.
14. Plastic Rulers with Multiplication Tables
Kaboompics.com on Pexels
These translucent rulers doubled as cheat sheets, printed with times tables or metric conversions. Students relied on them during math drills before calculators were allowed.