Lucite & Plexiglas

Lucite was invented in 1931 by chemists at DuPont. It was crystal clear, resistant to water and UV rays, and was low density yet stronger than previous plastics.

Around the same time that Lucite was invented, the Rohm & Haas Chemical Company invented a similar methyl methacrylate and named it Plexiglas. Because Plexiglas was the main focus of R&H, whereas Lucite was not DuPont's primary product, Plexiglas was able to sell at more competitive prices and did better than its competitor.

Like Bakelite and Catalin, Lucite and Plexiglas were used extensively in war supplies during WWII. After the war, the plastics were used for jewellery and other items. Lucite rings were highly popular during the '50s and '60s, as were Lucite handbags.

In 1993, DuPont sold its acrylic resin operations. The Lucite name now belongs to Lucite International in Southampton, UK.

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