A macroscopic urea-functionalized CdS (CdS-U) is synthesized for the first time. The CdS-U material is formed through the interaction between NH2/NH groups on urea and -COO- groups on sodium oleate-capped CdS nanoparticles (CdS-So NPs). The CdS-U material exhibites excellent visible light photocatalytic activity and plasticity and has the potential to be produced as rewritable papers. It is convenience to produce a large-scale film by CdS-U. Letters can be written on the CdS-U film and disappear through a dissolution-irradiation process, and then the CdS-U film can be recycled by drying. This novel CdS-U material might be of interest and provide a new chance to advance the application of visible light photocatalyst on rewritable papers. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.