Material Matters: BAKELITE
, where plastic is widely reviled for its adverse environmental impact, it is difficult to conceive of a time when the arrival of a new plastic would be celebrated. But, back in 1907, when the Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland created Bakelite – the first totally synthetic plastic – the world was eager to embrace this versatile new material. Baekeland patented his novel creation in 1909 and its enormous potential quickly became apparent. Hard, heat-resistant and easy to mould, Bakelite
