What specific industrial product was Alexander Parkes attempting to create when he discovered Parkesine?

A moldable material suitable for insulating telegraph wire.

Alexander Parkes' initial exploration that led to Parkesine was not driven by replacing luxury goods, but by solving a practical industrial problem related to early electrical infrastructure. In 1856, Parkes, an English metallurgist, was engaged in research focused on finding a superior, moldable substance that could effectively serve as insulation for the conductors used in telegraph wiring systems. While attempting to achieve this specific insulation goal, he found that treating cellulose nitrate with camphor produced the material he named Parkesine. Although the material was unstable and ultimately not ideal for long-term insulation due to shrinking and cracking, the initial objective clearly tied his discovery to telecommunications insulation needs.