In the 1967 film The Graduate, Dustin Hoffman's character, Benjamin Braddock, was given one now-famous word of career advice: Plastics. Indeed, by 1976, plastic was the most widely used material in the U.S. We rely on it for the creation of everything from pink flamingos to artificial hearts. In fact, people became so dependent on this popular polymer that when the supply was strained during World War II, women rioted over nylon stockings. Read on to learn more about the rise of this man-made material. Read more about: •The History of Plastics Timeline •The Nylon Riots •Buy the video!