Plastic began to be mass-produced after World War II and, again, during the 1960s and 1970s, when consumers wanted plastics to replace traditional materials because they are cheap, versatile, hygienic, and easy to manufacture in a variety of forms. The story of the change of image of the humble comb is part of the much larger story of how plastics have transformed us. Plastics freed us from the confines of the natural world, material limitations and limited supplies that had limited human activity for a long time. This new elasticity also eliminated social boundaries.
The arrival of these malleable and versatile materials allowed producers to create a treasure trove of new products and, at the same time, expand opportunities for people with few resources to become consumers. Plastics offered the promise of a new material and cultural democracy. The comb, the oldest personal accessory, allowed anyone to keep that promise. The development of plastics began with natural materials that had plastic properties. Modern synthetic plastics were invented about 100 years ago.
Since the modern plastics industry depends on fossil fuels as a raw material, plastic production has an impact on climate change and contributes to global CO2 production. Its first application was to isolate radar wiring during World War II, but consumer products soon followed, from plastic shopping bags and Tupperware to artificial hip and knee joints. The development of plastics began with the use of natural materials that had intrinsic plastic properties, such as shellac. and chewing gum.
In the post-World War II world, where laboratory-synthesized plastics have practically defined a form of life, we have come to think that plastics are not natural, but nature has been weaving polymers since the beginning of life. Injection molding machines, which are now standard equipment in the manufacture of plastics, converted raw plastic powders or granules into a molded and finished product in a single process. According to the British Plastics Federation, studies have also shown that if plastic packaging were to be replaced by other materials, packaging consumption would increase in terms of mass, energy and greenhouse gas emissions. The Food Standards Agency advises consumers to put raw chicken in a plastic bag to avoid the risk of food poisoning.
