Fake Snow, Real Risks
Moviegoers watching classic winter scenes from early Hollywood might assume they’re seeing innocent holiday magic. But during the golden age of film, the “snow” falling on actors and sets wasn’t harmless at all.
For years, the film industry used asbestos—yes, the same hazardous material now heavily regulated—as artificial snow in some of the most iconic movies ever made. The use was widespread before the dangers of asbestos were scientifically confirmed and publicly acknowledged.
White Christmas and Beyond
In the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, one of the most famous uses of asbestos snow appears during the scene in which Glinda the Good Witch puts the poppy field to sleep and then wakes it with snowfall. The snow that revives Dorothy and her companions was made of chrysotile asbestos fibers.
This was not unusual at the time. Asbestos was favored for its fire-resistant qualities and realistic fluffy texture. It was also used on Christmas trees, window displays, and artificial snow blankets throughout the 1930s and 1940s.
The 1942 film Holiday Inn, which introduced the song “White Christmas,” and the 1954 movie White Christmas itself also reportedly used asbestos as snow.
Studios would spread asbestos across sets and sometimes drop it from above like falling snow. It was chosen over alternatives like cotton, which posed a greater fire hazard under hot studio lights. Fire safety regulations even encouraged the use of asbestos over flammable materials.
Asbestos in Homes and Stores
The use of asbestos snow was not limited to film sets. It became a popular retail product in the United States for winter decorations. Artificial snow made from pure asbestos was sold in hardware and department stores.
Brands like “Pure White” were marketed for use on Christmas trees and decorations, and consumers were told it was a clean and safe alternative to older, messier fake snow options. Asbestos was used to coat entire trees, mantelpieces, and holiday village displays.
From Common Use to Banned Substance
Scientific and medical research gradually revealed the dangers of asbestos exposure. Inhalation of asbestos fibers was linked to serious health conditions, including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.
By the 1970s, the dangers had become widely recognized, and regulations began phasing out its use in consumer products. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States banned certain asbestos products starting in the late 1980s.
However, the fake snow from Hollywood’s early films remained preserved on celluloid, a reminder of the industry’s past materials and methods. These scenes continue to be broadcast every winter, long after the artificial snow that fell on them has disappeared from use.
In Hollywood’s golden age, fake snow drifting across movie scenes looked magical.
But many classics, including The Wizard of Oz, used asbestos for snow—chosen for its fire resistance and fluffy texture—long before the health risks were publicly known…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/AVteuWtVgR
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) May 23, 2025