Plastics encompass a wide range of synthetic and semi-synthetic materials created from large repeating molecules called polymers. The Institute’s collections include a wide variety of materials documenting the history of the study of polymers, the development of plastics, the plastic industry, synthetic fibers, microplastics, works depicting or created by early pioneers of the field, and other related topics. Browse the digitized materials in this digital collection to learn more about plastics and synthetic fibers from the lab to your living room.
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2 items
Dual-Sided Plastics Property and Material Cost Comparator
- 1950
A comparator device constructed from two rotating cardboard wheels attached to a cardboard cover. One side displays plastic properties and the other displays the material costs for products manufactured by the Monsanto…
- Contributor Monsanto Company
- Creator Of Work Perrygraf Promotion Works
- Subject Monsanto Company, Plastics, Plastics industry and trade
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6 items
AstroTurf® artificial grass sample
- 1977-Apr-09 – 1981-Dec-22 (Dates in use in stadium)
A square sample of AstroTurf® artificial grass from Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The stadium hosted the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1971 to 2003 and the Philadelphia…
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Consumer bag, industrial bag, any bag is our bag. That's Marlex® in action.
- 1977
Phillips Chemical Company advertisement printed in volume 54 of Modern Plastics. The advertisement promotes the chemical company's brandname plastic film, Marlex, a high density polyethylene plastic. The ad is…
- Creator Of Work Charles H. Phillips Chemical Co.
- Publisher Breskin & Charleton Publication Corp.
- Subject Plastics industry and trade, Plastics, Charles H. Phillips Chemical Co., Plastic bags, High-density polyethylene
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5 items
Kroger Disposable Plastic Shopping Bag
- 1990s
A gray plastic shopping bag with red print. This bag, manufactured for Kroger supermarkets, has a #2 HDPE recycling indication, meaning it is made from high-density polyethylene plastic and can be recycled. Information…
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Maidenform Confections Advertisement
- 1968
An advertisement included in a 1968 issue of Seventeen Magazine shows three women in brightly colored, Maidenform brand neon undergarments.
- Creator Of Work Hanes Corporation
- Publisher Hearst Corporation
- Subject Textile fibers, Synthetic, Underwear, Lingerie, Nylon, Dyes and dyeing--Textile fibers, Synthetic, Dyes and dyeing--Nylon
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7 items
Oral history interview with Allan S. Hay
- 1986-Jul-24
Allan S. Hay begins the interview with a description of his secondary and undergraduate education in Alberta. After briefly describing his graduate work at the University of Illinois and a summer job at Du Pont, he…
- Interviewee Hay, Allan S., 1929-2017
- Interviewer Wise, George, Fine, Leonard W.
- Subject Hay, Allan S., 1929-2017, Plastics--Research, Chemistry, Polymers, Chemists, General Electric Company, Chemists--Biography, Polyphenylene oxide, University of Alberta, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Emigration and immigration
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Polypropylene Pellets
- Circa 2008
Small, round pellets of Polypropylene. Pellets are white and semi-translucent.
Polypropylene, also known as polypropene, is a nonpolar, thermoplastic polymer and polyolefin. Though its physical properties are similar…
- Creator Of Work Quantum Chemical Corporation
- Subject Polypropylene, Plastics, Thermoplastics, Polyolefins
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Nathaniel Wyeth portrait
- 1990
Black and white reproduction of a portrait of Nathaniel C. Wyeth (1911-1990) used for a newspaper publication's announcement of his death. The original portrait of Wyeth was taken in 1986, and this print ran in 1990.
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3 items
Vuvuzela from the 2010 FIFA World Cup
- 2010
White plastic horn-shaped noise maker used by cheering fans at the 2010 Fifa World Cup held in South Africa. The vuvuzela is handpainted in multiple colors with acrylic paint. The horn's bell is decorated with the South…
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LEGO Scuba Tank
- 1990s
A small gray plastic LEGO accessory shaped like a scuba tank and breathing apparatus. This piece was part of the Lego Lost at Sea Project, started by Tracey Williams.
On February 13, 1997, approximately five million…
- Creator Of Work LEGO koncernen (Denmark)
- Subject LEGO toys, Plastic marine debris, Plastic marine debris, Plastics, Pollution, Water--Pollution
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2 items
LEGO Dragon
- 1990s
A small black plastic LEGO accessory shaped like a dragon. This piece was found by Lucy and Edward Thresher as part of the Lego Lost at Sea Project, started by Tracey Williams.
On February 13, 1997, approximately five…
- Creator Of Work LEGO koncernen (Denmark)
- Subject LEGO toys, Plastic marine debris, Plastic marine debris--Environmental aspects, Plastics, Water--Pollution, Pollution
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LEGO Seaweed
- 1990s
A small green plastic LEGO accessory shaped like a patch of seaweed. This piece was part of the Lego Lost at Sea Project, started by Tracey Williams.
On February 13, 1997, approximately five million LEGO pieces were…
- Creator Of Work LEGO koncernen (Denmark)
- Subject Plastics, LEGO toys, Water--Pollution, Pollution, Plastic marine debris, Plastic marine debris--Environmental aspects
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7 items
McDonald’s “Recycle Here” Plastic Dish Set
- 1991
A 3-piece plastic tableware set featuring McDonald's Corporation character mascots, Ronald McDonald, the Hamburgler, Grimace, a pink "Fry Kid", and Birdie the Early Bird. The characters are promoting the eco-friendly…
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5m 44s
It Didn't Just Happen
- Undated
This is a promotional film for the National Plastics Hall of Fame, at the time housed in the National Plastics Center and Museum in Leominster, Massachusetts. Frank S. Marra narrates this short presentation about some…
- Creator Of Work National Plastics Center & Museum, The Plastics Academy
- Subject Plastics, Plastics industry and trade, Science museums
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6 items
Dacron & Antron Colour Story
- Piece Dyed / Cross Dyed Jersey Fabrics
- 1950 – 1970
Eighteen dyed and undyed fabric samples made of Dacron and Antron fibers mounted in a tri-folded cardboard booklet.
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3 items
"Severon" Cationic Dyes on "Dacron" Type 801 Polyester Fiber
- 1972
Twenty-four dyed Dacron samples attached to a bi-fold cardstock brochure.
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26m 58s
Passing Through: An Introduction to Plastics
- Circa 1993
A high school student who is nervous about failing his chemistry test is transported to a vaguely Middle Ages, high fantasy castle where he meets a wizard trying to invent better armor for a knight. The student teaches…
- Creator Of Work National Plastics Center and Museum
- Subject Educational films, Plastics, Middle Ages, Wizards
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19M 38S
A New World Through Chemistry
- 1940
This film from E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company promotes several of their inventions by showing how they are made and (using actors and film sets) how useful they are in everyday life. Products include: Neoprene,…
- Producer Scientific Films
- Creator Of Work E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company
- Subject E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Rubber, Artificial, Rayon, Lucite, Nylon
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6 items
Oral history interview with Joseph Labovsky
- 1996-Jul-24
Joseph Labovsky opens the interview with a discussion of his childhood in Ukraine and his family experiences there after his father emigrated to the United States in 1914. Labovsky moved with his mother and siblings to…
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8m 25s
National Plastics Center and Museum fundraising video
- Undated
This fundraising appeal from the National Plastics Center and Museum aims to raise money for renovating a building in Leominster, Massachusetts to use as a museum, with exhibition galleries and conference rooms. This…
- Creator Of Work National Plastics Center and Museum
- Subject Plastics, Museums, Fund raising
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Trade card for celluloid waterproof collars, cuffs, and shirt bosoms
- Circa 1890
Trade card for waterproof celluloid collars, cuffs, and shirt bosoms featuring a racially stereotyped depiction of an Asian boy smoking an opium pipe. A celluloid cuff and collar adorn the boy's exaggerated Asian-style…
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2 items
Trade card for celluloid waterproof collars, cuffs, and shirt bosoms
- Circa 1890
Trade card for waterproof celluloid collars, cuffs, and shirt bosoms featuring a racially stereotyped depiction of a woman dressed in exaggerated Asian-styled garb holding an umbrella consisting of a celluloid cuff. She…
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3 items
Nylon Wear Test Underwear
- 1938
A pair of off-white underwear made of Nylon with elastic in the waist and around each leg hole.
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5m 53s
Passing Through: Behind The Scenes
- Circa 1993
This is a promotional work created by the National Plastics Center and Museum to advertise their educational video, Passing Through. Passing Through is a film for teenagers and high school science students in which a…
- Creator Of Work National Plastics Center and Museum
- Producer WAVE, Inc.
- Subject Science--Study and teaching, Plastics, Educational films, Middle Ages
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3 items
Nylon Hosiery Sample Books
- 1952 – 1955
Two booklets containing nylon samples dyed in various shades. Samples represent the hosiery variety available for purchase at the Harrison Hosiery Company located in Philadelphia. The booklets contain samples for…
- Creator Of Work Harrison Hosiery Company
- Subject Hosiery, Harrison Hosiery Company, Nylon, Dyes and dyeing--Nylon, Textile fibers, Synthetic, Human skin color, Clothing trade
