It is thermoplastic. Two examples are polythene, PVC.

Plastic is easily mouldable, i.e., can be shaped in any form. Plastic can be recycled, reused, coloured, melted, rolled into sheets or made into wires. That is why it finds such variety of uses.

Plastic is a polymer like the synthetic fibre.

All synthetic fibres are prepared by a number of processes using raw materials of petroleum origin, called petrochemicals.

Polyester is actually made up of the repeating units of a chemical called ester.

Articles made from nylon are socks, ropes, tents, toothbrushes, car seat belts, sleeping bags etc.

Nylon fibre is strong, elastic, light and water resistant. It is lustrous and easy to wash. Thus it is becoming very popular for making clothes.

We should never wear polyester clothes or synthetic clothes while working in kitchen because synthetic fibres melt on heating. If the clothes catch fire, it can be disastrous. The fabric melts and sticks to the body of the person wearing it.

The fibres obtained from natural sources, i.e. plants and animals are called natural fibres. So, cotton, wool and silk are natural fibres.

Teflon is used in coating nonstick cookwares.

For making PVC pipes, thermoplastic is used.

4Rs stand for Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover.

The manufacture of rayon which is obtained from wood pulp contributes to deforestation.

Nylon is the first fully synthetic fibre.

Polyester