Plastic rings are readily available for mass-consumption nowadays: carved roses are abloom the fingers of forever 21 shoppers in every major city and suburb. Since 2006, the trend of accessory-dressing has really taken off.
But when did plastic specifically gain its fashion edge? Though commonly associated with the cheap and disposable: garbage bags and Galdware— and all other modern conveniences— it was once almost too expensive to produce in the first place.
Back in 1862, a Londoner named Parkes unveiled the first-ever man-made plastic. (Naturally, he dubbed the synthetic material’s name after him: Parkesine) But this prototypal plastic failed due to high costs. An innovator named Spills created a Xylonite plastics company—but production proved too expensive. His company’s finance started to spill into the red; it melted into a state of complete bankruptcy in 1874.
It wasn’t until the roaring 1920s that plastic started to look fantastically fashionable and somehow feasible. In the avant-garde eyes of Coco Chanel plastic was chic; she created Bakelite jewels for Chanel’s accessory collection. So, Bakelite was the flamboyant brother Plastic. Bakelite made plastic a statement piece. But its flare was soon overshadowed with the birth of the darling war babies: Lucite and Plexiglas.
Plastic rings are not rare in form anymore, but have opened the door to rare imaginative exploration like no other medium. Think about it. You can set stones in metal, twist and weld metal—but plastic can swallow entire pre-assembled scenes, fresh or freeze dried flowers, and act as a 3
D display case for semi-precious stones or simply precious personal mementos.A plastics pioneer, Alice Matsumoto has a great website with an even greater name—the Carrotbox.com sells exclusively plastic rings, while displaying other designs of rare and interesting nature. Matsumoto’s passion is incredible. She posts her mission statement on her blog: “to spread glass, plastic and other non-metal rings to as many fabulous people as possible.” Even if Alice wasn’t allergic to metals, she explains that she would always work with this medium.
In an email she told me “I work hard to find quality items — if I wouldn't wear it myself, I won't sell it.” She also told me she didn’t think herself as interesting enough to interview formal. A modest attitude directs attention toward her jarring collection of jewels. Once thought of as a second-class synthetic, plastic has since gained a reputation as unreal. And who doesn’t want what plastic is offering? Be chic and cheap. Choices: translucent or solid, it is up to you and coins: all the spare change you saved rattling in your pocket. Plastic: a problem-solver material that many find irresistible.
