Plastic has become the material of choice for various industries, because its versatility lends itself to use in everything from building material to soft drink bottles. So what is plastic? Webster dictionary defines plastic as any of various complex organic compounds produced by polymerization, capable of being molded, extruded, cast into various shapes, films, or filaments.

Thermosets cannot be softened or reshaped after being subjected to heat and pressures. They are valued for their durability and strength and are used primarily in automobiles and construction, although applications such as adhesives, inks, and coatings are also significant. Other examples of Thermoset plastics and their applications in interiors are lacquers, varnishes, furniture, mattress, and cushions.

Thermoplastics, which can be repeatedly softened and reshaped by heat and pressure, offer a wide range of applications. They make up the greatest share of plastics used in food packaging, as in milk jugs and soda bottles, because they can be rapidly and economically formed into any shape needed to fulfill the packaging function. Other examples of thermoplastics in interiors are polypropylene found in carpet fibers and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) found in floor and wall coverings.

When plastics emerge from reactors, it is considered a raw material. In order to achieve a commercial product, most polymers are blended with additives during raw material processing into their finished part. Additives - such as antioxidants, colorants, foaming, and plasticizers - are incorporated into polymers to alter and improve their basic mechanical, physical or chemical properties.

For most consumer applications, plastics are colored. Popular pigments for coloring plastics include titanium dioxide and zinc oxide (white), carbon (black), and various other inorganic oxides such as iron and chromium. Organic compounds can be used to add color either as pigments (insoluble) or as dyes (soluble). The ease with which color is incorporated throughout a molded article is an advantage of plastics over metals and ceramics, which depend on coatings for color. Plastics offer the unique capability to be manufactured to meet very specific color needs for consumers, because colorants are added to enhance and to reinforce the end use, without altering the inherent properties of the final product.

For example, plastic milk jugs, whether opaque or semi-transparent, are almost always white, for the color white reinforces the perception of fresh milk. On the other hand, plastic toys for children often come in highly saturated primary or secondary colors, for these colors evoke a sense of fun, exuberance, and playfulness. In both cases, color is used to express and reinforce the characteristics of the end product.

Many products are made of plastic for health, safety, value, and performance reasons, and plastics can be shaped and colored in endless forms and variations. It is this versatility that has enabled plastics to become a widely used material in the 20^th century. Plastic is used in almost every interior and exterior environment from residential to commercial.