The small story of plastics made big, for everyone interested in the emergence of plastics and the development of this class of materials to their current significance. The book offers the perfect blend of a technical and factual book, making it suitable for both engineers and art students. The entire history of plastics is presented for the first time, tracing the historical development of this youngest class of materials from ancient times to the present. After a brief introduction to the basic concepts and the emergence of plastics, the eras of plastic history from prehistoric times to the present are described, along with the most important products developed and used technically, taking into account social and technological history. A timeline with essential dates and names related to the history of plastics provides a good overview.