Essential to a holistic understanding of sustainable plastics are not only the recent innovations in eco-friendly plastic but also roots of this relatively modern movement. In general, industrial improvement in sustainable plastics can be categorized as innovations in either the production or the biodegradability of plastics. However, the expansion of sustainable plastics from a virtually nonexistent ideal during the World War II era to a billion dollar modern day industry is a more ambiguous topic rooted in history, business, or scientific research.