Natural vs Synthetic Plastic by Juliet Craig

This project is an analysis of design materials used over time at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian design museum. Inspired by the “Nature by Design: Plastics” exhibition, this project explores natural and synthetic plastics. What is natural plastic? It is the material harvested via animals, such as: tortoiseshell, leather, and ivory. These materials were being over consumed and endangered many species of animals. To keep up with consumer demand, scientists developed a petroleum based, synthetic material. These materials include: polyester, nylon, and plastic. The use of these materials exploded and ultimately are contributing to our current climate crisis. THis project explored when and how these materials were being used.