Overview
Bakelite, invented in 1907 by Leo Baekeland, was the world’s first fully synthetic plastic, a thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin used in electrical insulators, consumer products, and industrial applications. The Bakelite Corporation, formed in 1910 and later merged in 1922, mass-produced this versatile material at its Bound Brook, New Jersey plant until its acquisition by Union Carbide in 1939. While not a modern bioplastic, its early synthetic nature from non-petroleum precursors positi…
Primary Materials
phenol formaldehyde resin
Market Segments
packaging, electronics, automotive, consumer goods
Last updated: January 02, 2026