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Not to be confused with bioplastics, plastics made from renewable biomass resources such as sugarcane or corn, biodegradable plastics are made from materials that have chemicals added that cause the plastic to break down quickly when exposed to air and sunlight, heat or moisture, triggering...

This blog post has been inspired by our current exhibition, Seen and unseen , and one display case in particular, In cars . The use of plastics in cars is not a new phenomenon. In the 1940s, Henry Ford’s investigations resulted in a vehicle described as a ‘plastic car made from soybeans.’ The car’s...

Hello all, Welcome back to the final instalment of the preservation series where we discuss how to identify and care for sensitive plastics that you may have in your collection. In previous posts we have reviewed cellulose nitrate, cellulose acetate, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) – you can find the...

Our latest exhibition, Seen and unseen , looks at objects that use plastics to do a job in such a way that we may not realise that the materials are there or that are so good at their job that we stop paying them too much attention. The first theme featured in the exhibition is, tree management...

Hello and welcome back, This week we are continuing our preservation blog series with an introduction to Polyvinyl Chloride or PVC. Past blogs in this series have focused on the importance of plastic identification when attempting to plastics. Specifically, signs of degradation to look out for and...

We have recently opened a fabulous new exhibition, See and unseen . It is packed full of really interesting objects which explore topics such as safety, b iodegradability , and microplastics. We have really enjoyed selecting the objects on display as well as researching their design stories. The...

Happy New Year – I hope everyone enjoyed some time off for the holidays and are coming into the new year refreshed. This blog is a continuation of our preservation series where we examine various “problem plastics” or sensitive plastics that are most likely to degrade without intervention. In the...

Pifco fairy lights The MoDiP team would like to send you best wishes for 'bright occasions' this holiday period. MoDiP, along with the rest of the AUB campus, will be closed from Friday 22nd December for the Christmas break and will open again Tuesday 2nd January 2024. Louise, Pam, and Shannon

Happy holiday season, At this time of the year many of us are spending more time at home, cuddling up to a fire and catching up with loved ones. It’s a perfect time for reflection and planning of the new year; and if you’re anything like the staff at MoDiP, some of that reflection and planning may...

Hello All, My name is Shannon Carr and I just wanted to take a quick minute to introduce myself as the new Collections Officer at MoDiP! I began working in this role on November 6th and have already been involved in many exciting projects. Within my first week, I assisted in providing MoDiP...