In 1962, our founder Herb Macro choked on a worryingly small piece of plastic and vowed: never again. Not "never again plastic" — Herb was very clear on this point — but never again small. That same year he poured his first product, a coat hanger for a building, and an industry was born.
“At Macro Plastics, we believe plastic should be seen, not swallowed.”
— Mission statement, painted on the side of The Straw
Milestones
1962 Herb Macro founds the company in a hangar he described as "already too small."
1968 First product recall. The product is found immediately. Herb calls this "the entire point."
1974 First plastic visible on radar. Air traffic control sends a strongly worded letter, which we framed.
1989 The company motto "Too big to swallow" is adopted after legal advised against the original, longer motto.
2003 Our bag wins "Largest Bag" at the International Bag Awards. The category was created for us. It has been retired since.
2011 Big Lil' joins as Chief Visibility Officer. She is a three-story water bottle and, we are told, a wonderful colleague.
2026 macro-plastics.com launches, so you can view our products from the comfort of anywhere. They are visible from most places.
Leadership
Founder
Herb Macro
Founder & Chairman Emeritus. Has not been photographed next to a product since 1974, for scale reasons.
CVO
Big Lil'
Chief Visibility Officer. Three stories tall. Handles morale, ribbon cuttings, and blocking out the sun at company picnics.
Legal
The Legal Department
Would like us to state that Macro Plastics is a parody, does not exist, and cannot be held liable for anything, at any size.