-
Use Cases
-
Resources
-
Pricing
History of Plastics Timeline
(1860s - Present)The history of plastics traces humanity's journey from using natural materials like rubber and shellac to inventing fully synthetic polymers. Beginning with celluloid in the 1860s and Leo Baekeland's Bakelite in 1907, plastics revolutionized manufacturing, medicine, packaging, and everyday life throughout the 20th century, while the 21st century brings new focus on sustainability, recycling, and biodegradable alternatives. More Less
Early Materials
Chemistry advances during the Industrial Revolution
1800 - 1899
In the nineteenth century, as chemistry developed during the Industrial Revolution, many new materials were reported, laying the groundwork for the birth of the plastics industry.
Image source: Industrial Revolution
Charles Goodyear discovers vulcanization
1839
The development of plastics accelerated with Charles Goodyear's 1839 discovery of vulcanization, a process to harden natural rubber that made it far more durable and useful.
Image source: Charles Goodyear
Parkesine invented by Alexander Parkes
1855
Parkesine, invented by Alexander Parkes in 1855 and patented the following year, is considered the first man-made plastic.
Image source: Celluloid
Parkesine unveiled at the International Exhibition in London
1862
Parkesine was unveiled at the 1862 International Exhibition in London and garnered for Parkes the bronze medal, introducing man-made plastic to the public.
PVC first created
1872
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was first created in 1872, though it was not commercially produced until the late 1920s as one of the earliest wave of new polymers.
Image source: Polyvinyl chloride
Auguste Trillat insolubilizes casein with formaldehyde
1893
In 1893, French chemist Auguste Trillat discovered the means to insolubilize casein (milk proteins) by immersion in formaldehyde, producing material marketed as galalith.
Image source: Galalith
Wilhelm Krische commissioned to develop blackboard alternative
1897
In 1897, mass-printing press owner Wilhelm Krische of Hanover, Germany, was commissioned to develop an alternative to blackboards. The resultant horn-like plastic made from casein was developed in cooperation with Austrian chemist Adolph Spitteler.
Synthetic Breakthroughs
Bakelite invented by Leo Baekeland
1907
The world's first fully synthetic plastic was Bakelite, invented in New York in 1907 by Leo Baekeland, who also coined the term plastics. Bakelite launched the age of fully synthetic polymers.
Image source: Bakelite
Durite Plastics first manufacturer of phenol-furfural resins
1923
In 1923, Durite Plastics, Inc., became the first manufacturer of phenol-furfural resins, expanding the commercial range of synthetic resin products.
Image source: Plastic
Commercial production of PVC begins
1927
Although polyvinyl chloride was first created in 1872, it began to be commercially produced in the late 1920s, becoming one of the world's most widely used plastics.
Key Facts
- Celluloid, developed by John Wesley Hyatt in 1869, was the first commercial plastic and served as a substitute for ivory in billiard balls.
- Leo Baekeland invented Bakelite in 1907, the first fully synthetic plastic, which launched the modern plastics industry.
- World War II dramatically accelerated plastic production as materials like nylon, Plexiglas, and polyethylene replaced scarce natural resources.
- Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), introduced for beverage bottles in the 1970s, became one of the most widely used and recycled plastics in the world.
- Since the 1990s, growing environmental concerns have driven innovation in recycling technologies, bioplastics, and global efforts to reduce single-use plastic waste.
Source
This History of Plastics timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.
We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.
Want a timeline like this one?
Generate yours with AI or build it from scratch, for free.