The first completely synthetic man-made substance was discovered in 1907, when a New York chemist -- Leo Bakeland -- created a liquid resin which he named Bakelite. Bakeland had developed an apparatus -- which he called a Bakelizer -- which enabled him to vary heat and pressure precisely so as to control the reaction of volatile chemicals. Using this pot-like apparatus, Baekeland developed a new liquid (bakelite resin) which rapidly hardened and took the shape of its container. Once hardened the resin would form an exact replica of any vessel which contained it. This new material would not burn, boil, melt, or dissolve in any commonly available acid or solvent. This meant that once it was firmly set, it would never change. This one benefit made it stand out from the previous "plastics" which were produced. Previously, celluloid-based substances could be melted down innumerable times and reformed. Bakelite was the first thermoset plastic which would retain its shape and form under any circumstances.

Bakelite could be added to almost any material -- such as softwood -- and instantly make it more durable and effective. Numerous products began to be manufactured based on this new material. One of the sectors of society most interested in its development was the military. The US government saw Bakelite as opening the door to production of new weaponry and light-weight war machinery that steel could not match. In fact, Bakelite was a key ingredient in most of the weapons used in the Second World War.

Bakelite was also used for domestic purposes such as an electrical insulator, and it proved to be more effective than any other material available. So effective, that it is still used as such today. Bakelite was electrically resistant, chemically stable, heat-resistant, shatter-proof and, would neither crack, fade, crease, nor discolor from exposure to sunlight, dampness or sea salt.