What is Celluloid?

Celluloid is the oldest synthetic plastic around, having been developed in the 1860s. It is a tough and moldable material resistant to oil and water, and it is notoriously cheap to produce. The invention was originally produced in the UK, but truly gained momentum after inventor and industrialist John Wesley Hyatt created a commercially-friendly version. This new version softened at boiling temperatures, making molding and transforming it into shapes all the more seamless. At room temperature, the plastic could be sawed, buffed, polished, drilled, and more. The versatility of the product even allowed it to serve as an affordable substitute to natural materials like ivory, tortoiseshell, and horn. 

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Celluloid is dubbed as one of the most monumental inventions in the industrial revolution, as it catalyzed a new sort of accessibility to a luxurious life. People also hailed the new invention as the “savior of the natural world”, as it replaced materials like ivory (...which is pretty ironic in hindsight). 

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Celluloid eventually decreased in popularity in the 1920s and 1930s as more versatile materials such as cellulose acetate, Bakelite, and new vinyl polymers began to act as replacements. By the end of the 20th century, its only unique application was in table-tennis balls. Today, early celluloid products are showcased in museums and considered to be collector’s items. 

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Is celluloid “good”?

As a form of plastic, celluloid is not “good” for the planet. While it has made a major historical impact in increasing accessibility to consumer goods through affordable alternatives, plastics like celluloid are known to be terrible for the environment. This is ironic, because when celluloid was first invented, it was hailed as an environmental savior. An 1878 sales pamphlet boasted celluloid, declaring that, “As petroleum came to the relief of the whale, so has celluloid given the elephant, the tortoise and the coral insect a respite in their native haunts; and it will no longer be necessary to ransack the earth in pursuit of substances which are constantly growing scarcer.” 

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Since then, we have learned about the harms of throwaway living, the convenience of which was once  seen as a major benefit of celluloid. The repercussions of embracing throwaway living has led to a world in which 300 million tons of plastic is produced per year,  which directly endangers marine life and wildlife, and has the potential to destroy food webs and ecosystems.  

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What kind of products are made with celluloid?

While there are not many products that uniquely use celluloid anymore, you can find it in vintage combs, jewelry, cigarette cases, greeting cards, and more. 

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Are there certifications I should look out for?

There are no certifications specific to celluloid, but if you’re looking for certifications related to plastic, look out for the Global Recycle Standard (GRS), which does a great job at providing quality control and validity of recycled plastic, and Plastic Free Certification, which provides assurance of a lack of plastic in products through rigorous standards. 

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At the end of the day, the preferred solution is to stick with plastic-free alternatives or reusable goods.

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Still want to learn more? Check out some of our favorite references:

Celluloid Basics

Plastic Was Made to Save The Environment, So Beware of The Next Solution

Science History: Celluloid as The Eternal Substitute

Washington Post: Five Myths on Plastics

Scientific American: A Brief History of Plastic’s Conquest of The World

The Atlantic: How Bad Are Plastics for The Environment, Really?

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