In 1907, Leo Baekeland invented Bakelite, the first fully synthetic plastic, which revolutionized the materials industry. Bakelite's durability and versatility made it suitable for a wide range of consumer products, from household items to electrical insulators. This invention marked the beginning of the plastics era, significantly impacting manufacturing and design across various industries.

The mass production of Bakelite plastics in 1907 facilitated a throwaway culture that became a focal point for 20th-century poets. Writers like Allen Ginsberg and Frank O'Hara critiqued consumerism and materialism in their works, using Bakelite as a symbol of the ephemeral nature of modern life and the loss of deeper values.