Plastic waste is a global crisis, driven by the endless production of new plastic and the limited recycling of the billions of tons of plastics we have already created.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website EcoPlas.
Choosing recycled plastic products is a smart way to enjoy plastic&#;s advantages while also reducing waste and supporting eco-conscious businesses.
Let&#;s take a look at what recycled plastic is, the pros and cons of recycling plastics, and some of the best recycled plastic products on the market.
From shoes to yoga mats, children&#;s toys to designer sunglasses, there is something for everyone on this list!
Let&#;s dive right in!
Recycled plastic is plastic made from waste plastic, which has been recovered and processed into a material that can be re-used to make new plastic products.
In the simplest terms, when plastic is recycled, plastic items are collected, sorted, cleaned, shredded, separated into types, and then melted down and compressed into plastic pellets. Those pellets are then used to make a new plastic item.
In addition, the recycling of plastics lowers the environmental impact of plastic production, saves vital resources, and diverts garbage from landfills. Recycling plays an important part in the circular economy by renewing plastic waste and promoting the continual reuse and regeneration of materials.
Furthermore, recycling plastic protects the well-being of our planet for future generations by reducing the negative effects of plastic waste on ecosystems and species.
Recycling might seem like the perfect solution to the ever-worsening plastic waste crisis. However, many challenges prevent recycling from completely solving the problem.To learn more about the leading companies excelling in recycling plastic, check out our article on the best recycling plastic companies
Let&#;s take a look at the pros and cons of recycling plastic:
Mass-produced plastic has only been around for about 80 years but in that time we have produced close to 9 billion tons of plastic.
Sadly, less than 10% of all plastic is recycled, and the remaining 90%+ is sent to landfills or incinerated.
There are several reasons for this, which are too complex to go into here, so let&#;s look at the pros and cons in brief:
As you can see, there are pros and cons to recycling plastics, and significant challenges to be overcome. Like many of the severe environmental issues we&#;re faced with, governments and global policies need to change before these challenges can be overcome completely.
That said, your actions as an individual consumer DO make a difference!
When we choose to live more sustainably, and produce less waste or even go fully zero-waste, we not only reduce the impact we have on the environment (which, over a lifetime, is more significant than you think!), we also contribute to the social, political and economic context around us.
Choosing to buy eco-friendly products creates a demand and a market for more sustainable goods.
When we choose to buy products made from recycled plastics rather than virgin plastics, we&#;re creating a market and a demand for them. And that is how change happens!
The Sak makes a wide selection of bags out of recycled plastic made from plastic waste collected from the ocean or picked up on its way to the ocean in Bali.
The Sak partners with Oceana, Oceanworks, Plastic Bank, and several other organizations to rid the planet of plastic pollution and turn it into something beautiful, useful, and durable.
Location: USA and Indonesia
What the Reviews Say (4.6/5 Stars):
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Where to Buy:
Patagonia needs no introduction when it comes to sustainable brands. Their Nano Puff Jackets are made with 87% recycled materials, including 100% postconsumer recycled polyester for the lining, stuffing, and shell. It is also made Fair Trade certified, and produced with reduced emissions technology.
Location: USA
What the Reviews Say (4.6/5 Stars):
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Where to Buy: Patagonia
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West Paw makes eco-friendly dog toys out of recycled plastic. They use recycled ocean-bound plastic and plastic that is diverted from landfills. West Paw&#;s soft toys are made with recycled polyester.
Their Zogoflex and Seaflex bouncy chew toys are made to last for many years, and can then be returned to West Paw to be recycled and made into new toys. All West Paw&#;s toys are non-toxic and BPA-free.
Location: USA
What the Reviews Say (4.4/5 Stars):
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Suga makes yoga mats out of 100% recycled neoprene wetsuits. They&#;re durable, non-slip and the texture of the material prevents it from picking up dirt, grime, and bacteria from the floor.
Suga mats are 5mm thick, but they provide more cushioning than other mats of the same thickness.
Location: USA
What the Reviews Say (4.4/5 Stars):
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Where to Buy:
Preserve started the Preserve Ocean Plastic Initiative (POPi) to work with partners cleaning up beaches and removing plastic from the ocean. They then use that plastic to make toothbrushes, razors, and tableware.
Their razors are unisex five-blade razors, with replaceable heads, and they&#;re completely recyclable through Preserve&#;s mail-back recycling program.
Location: USA
What the Reviews Say (4.6/5 Stars):
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Polywood makes outdoor furniture from a blend of recycled HDPE and other plastics, including milk jugs and detergent bottles.
Weather-resistant, and extremely hard-wearing, their furniture is made to last for many years (they offer a 20-year guarantee), with little maintenance.
Location: USA
What the Reviews Say (4.7/5 Stars):
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Where to Buy:
Green Toys is a USA-based company that makes children&#;s toys out of 100% recycled plastic milk jugs. Their toys are bright, durable, and interactive for imaginative play.
Green Toys products are non-toxic, BPA free and FDA-approved for safe contact. They&#;re also dishwasher safe!
Location: USA
What the Reviews Say (4.8/5 Stars):
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Where to Buy:
Bureo makes jackets, accessories, and skateboards out of recycled fishing nets. They partner with local communities and conservation organizations to collect discarded fishing nets from coastal areas in South America.
Their Victoria sunglasses are polarized and offer 100% UV protection. The frames are lightweight and comfortable, with padded nose supports. At the end of their lifespan, they&#;re fully recyclable through Bureo&#;s recycling program.
Location: USA and Chile
What the Reviews Say (5/5 Stars):
Star rating only &#; no reviews available
Where to Buy: Bureo or Costa Del Mar
Team Timbuktu makes activewear and waterproof jackets out of recycled plastic bottles and recycled fabric. They also plant trees for every order, are an ethical and fair labor company, and use compostable packaging instead of single-use plastic.
Their activewear leggings are designed to be hardwearing, comfortable, breathable, and have pockets!
Location: Australia
What the Reviews Say (4.9/5 Stars):
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Where to Buy: Team Timbuktu
Rothys makes men&#;s and women&#;s shoes and bags out of recycled plastic bottles, which they convert into yarn. The yarn is then 3D knitted to form the shapes they need, which reduces waste. Rothys&#; is aiming for a fully circular business model by and is fully zero-waste in .
They offer recycling for your old Rothys shoes and their new product lines include materials that are twice recycled.
Location: USA
What the Reviews Say (4.6/5 Stars):
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Fab Habitat makes rugs and other soft home furnishings out of recycled materials. Their rugs are made with recycled plastic, either PET from soda bottles or Polypropylene from food and medicine containers.
Fab Habitat is also a Fair Trade and Good Weave certified company.
Location: USA and India
What the Reviews Say (5/5 Stars):
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Where to Buy: Fab Habitat
Recover makes men&#;s and women&#;s clothing out of recycled materials, including recycled cotton and polyester made from recycled plastic bottles and packaging.
Their Sport collection is made from 100% recycled post-consumer plastic waste. Recover&#;s Sport t-shirt is soft, comfortable, breathable, and suitable for every activity.
Location: USA and Guatemala
What the Reviews Say (4.5/5 Stars):
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Where to Buy: Recover
Noho makes stylish, ergonomic chairs out of recycled ECONYL nylon, which is made from recovered ghost fishing nets and post-consumer waste carpeting.
Their chairs are ergonomically designed to move and flex with your body for comfort and support. Optional cushion toppers are also available.
Location: New Zealand
What the Reviews Say (4.7/5 Stars):
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Where to Buy: Noho
Hakea is an Australian brand that makes high-quality swimwear from recycled nylon, including ECONYL, which is made from ghost fishing nets and plastic removed from the ocean, and fabric mill waste.
Their swimwear is more durable than most nylon swimwear, UPF 50+, and free from all harmful chemicals. Hakea uses energy and water-efficient production methods, and plastic-free packaging.
Location: Australia
What the Reviews Say (/5 Stars):
No reviews available
Where to Buy: Hakea
Buffy makes vegan, cruelty-free bed linen, comforters, and pillows using filling made from recycled plastic bottles instead of virgin polyester. They use natural fibers and sustainable materials for their fabrics, sheeting, and covers.
Buffy is a sustainability-focused brand doing many things to lessen its impact on the planet, including offsetting all the carbon emissions from its shipping.
Location: USA
What the Reviews Say (4.4/5 Stars):
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Where to Buy:
Re-Play makes bowls, plates, and utensils out of recycled plastic. Their recycled plastic products are colorful, high-quality, and long-lasting.
They&#;re 100% non-toxic and contain no BPA, Phthalates, PVC, or Melamine. Re-Play products are great for kids and adults alike.
Location: USA
What the Reviews Say (4.9/5 Stars):
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Where to Buy:
Parley for the Oceans is a collaborative movement that both brings attention to the plight of the oceans and works with creative brands like Adidas to create solutions for the pollution that is destroying marine life.
Together they created a concept shoe, The Ultra Boost, that featured an upper made of yarns and filaments reclaimed and recycled from ocean waste and illegal deep-sea gillnets.
Adidas scaled that solution and has produced more than 30 million pairs of shoes using Parley Ocean Plastic to date.
Location: USA
What the Reviews Say (4.5/5 Stars):
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If you are looking for more details, kindly visit pcr plastic recycling company.
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Where to Buy: Amazon
Conceptos Plasticos is a Colombian company with a sustainable business built around the most fundamental need of humankind, housing.
Changing how consumers behave is a big step toward a renewable future, but changing how major industries operate is equally crucial due to the sheer volume of materials used in some sectors.
Conceptos Plasticos has taken on the challenge and created a modular brick and block building system from recycled plastics that three people can build a house with within just four days.
Their bricks have repurposed over 3,000 tons of post-consumer waste so far, and they only produce with purpose, minimizing their carbon footprint significantly.
The houses are impervious to the elements and will never rot, warp, splinter, crumble, rust, absorb moisture, or leach toxic chemicals into the environment.
Location: Colombia
What the Reviews Say (4.9/5 Stars):
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Where to Buy: Conceptos Plasticos Initiative page
Anipal is an Australian-based brand that makes pet products from PET products.
Their harnesses, leashes, and collars use post-consumer plastics instead of virgin plastics, meaning that each product uses 86% less water, 70% less energy, and 75% less CO2 emissions than standard production techniques.
Anipal works with a Southeast Asian partner which redirects waste from the most heavily impacted regions. To date, they have recycled over 250,000 post-consumer plastic bottles into pet products for dogs and cats.
They also make a range of dental chews, and baked bites made from local, organic seaweed & insect protein.
Location: Australia
What the Reviews Say (5/5 Stars):
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Where to Buy: Anipal Shop
Frescobol Carioca is a UK-based Brazilian swimwear brand that is all about the Rio beach lifestyle. They teamed up with Parley Ocean Plastic to create a promotional line of beachwear that highlighted the versatility of 100% recycled materials. Revenue generated from the sales of the range is reinvested towards clean-up projects and education programs in Brazil, ensuring that each piece within the collection is a symbol of change and a vehicle for transformation.
The collection ranges from water-repellent swimwear to all-new technical jersey fabrication, focused on performance, luxury, and long-lasting build.
Location: UK
What the Reviews Say (4.2/5 Stars):
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Where to Buy: Frescobol Carioca
InCase is an Australian brand that makes a wide range of carry cases, backpacks, toiletry bags, and accessories. Teaming up with BIONIC®, they created a collection of commuter bags, accessory organizers, and laptop sleeves from the BIONIC® Ripstop fabric. BionicYarn makes a range of materials that are 100% made from recycled ocean plastic. Every commuter bag is created from the equivalent of twenty-six plastic bottles recovered from marine & coastal environments and is 100% recycled plastic.
The commuter bag features include being lightweight, detailed internal organization, a large main compartment, protection for up to a 16-inch MacBook Pro, and an external magnetic-snap closure water bottle pocket.
Location: USA/Australia
What the Reviews Say (4.3/5 Stars):
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Where to Buy: InCase Store
Lifeproof has been the #1 selling waterproof case in the US since . They&#;ve expanded their range to include the eco-conscious WAKE case for iPhones, which is made from sustainably obtained, 85% ocean-based recycled plastic, and is drop-proof from a height of 6.6 feet. The design is a one-piece, ultra-thin, and features a satisfying mellow wave pattern.
The WAVE case weighs just 0.04 lbs and fits the iPhone 11, iPhone 12/12 mini, iPhone 13/13 Pro/13 Max, iPad (7th,8th,9th gen), Galaxy S 21/22, and Pixel 4a. Thus far, Lifeproof has repurposed more than 27,000 lbs of ocean-based plastic.
Location: USA
What the Reviews Say (3.3/5 Stars):
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Where to Buy: Otterbox
Based in Brighton, UK, Gomi made the world&#;s first speaker created from &#;non-recyclable&#; waste. Their product range has since expanded to include portable and wireless chargers. All their products are hand-made, and even their batteries are reclaimed and repurposed from waste electronics like e-bikes, e-scooters, and electric cars. All the plastic used is non-recyclable and would otherwise end up in a landfill or burnt. They partner with local companies, large global corporations as well as recycling companies to recycle waste material, which is then processed into products.
Each product has a unique marbling pattern that comes from the reclamation process, making each one one of a kind. Gomi will repair any product returned to them and will repurchase your product from you at the end of its life to recycle all components into their latest generation of products.
Location: UK
What the Reviews Say (5/5 Stars):
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Where to Buy: Gomi Shop
Jenga was first invented in . In , Jenga released a version of the popular game made completely from 25 square feet of nets proudly sourced through Bureo&#;s Net Positiva recycling program.
Every block features a threatened marine animal in their design, and new rules come in the box for a &#;Save The Animals&#; mode of traditional Jenga, which gives players one point for every animal collected.
Each drawing is hand-designed by the surfer, designer, artist, and explorer, Lake Buckley. And all packaging is 100% recycled and recyclable.
Location: USA
What the Reviews Say (5/5 Stars):
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Where to Buy: Jenga Giant
Swedish Stockings is based in Stockholm, Sweden, and was formed when they discovered that 8 billion pairs of tights are worn once and discarded every year.
Their solution to this problem is two-fold &#; design tights from sustainable and recycled materials and make them last longer.
Their innovations include tights made from castor beans, recycled PET bottles,100% GOTS cotton, and recycled polyamides and elastane, which also happen to be zero-emission products.
The range includes tights, socks, leggings, and knee-highs, so there&#;s something for every style and occasion.
Location: Sweden
What the Reviews Say (4.6/5 Stars):
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Where to Buy: Swedish Stockings
Wolven is a team of activists that are dead set on making recycled sexy. Boston-based founder, Kiran Jade, started her company with the principles of Sustainability, Diversity, Body Positivity, and Creativity at its core. Their production is carbon neutral, and their turmeric joggers are made from 86% post-consumer recycled PET plastic. They&#;re comfortable and stretchy, have a vegan suede finish, and feature two pockets! Each pair of sweatpants is made from 51.8 recycled bottles.
Their joggers are Breathable, quick-drying, and odor-resistant, and Wolven runs an in-house pre-loved shop where you can get 110% brand credit for every item you sell.
Location: USA
What the Reviews Say (4.8/5 Stars):
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Where to Buy: Wolven Store
There is a huge variety of recycled plastic products on the market, which shows just how versatile and valuable waste plastics can be.
As consumers, our choices influence commerce, and the industries that produce the goods we buy.
When we buy recycled plastic products, we&#;re contributing not only to the reduction of virgin plastic production but also to strengthening the market for recycled plastics.
On top of that, we lose nothing in terms of quality or longevity by choosing recycled plastics instead of virgin plastics &#; they&#;re just as good!
Most plastic products can be made from recycled plastic. Common products made from recycled plastics include recycled polyester clothing, plastic toys, tableware, shoes, bags and home furnishings like chairs and rugs. Read the full article for a list of some of the best recycled plastic products available.
Yes. In terms of quality, recycled plastic products are just as good as products made from virgin plastic., and in terms of the environment it is much better to use recycled plastic than it is to make new plastic out of oil. Read the full article for more on recycled plastic products.
Yes. If the plastic recycling process is done properly and the final product meets the necessary safety standards, the fact that the plastic is recycled makes no difference to the safety of the item. Always read labels and check that products are approved, regardless of the origin of the plastic. Read the full article for more on recycled plastic products.
Government of Canada: Government of Canada Moving Forward with Banning Harmful Single-Use Plastics
National Geographic: The Challenge of Recycling
NPR: How Big Oil Misled the Public into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled
RTS: Is This Recyclable?
RTS: The Complete Plastics Recycling Process
RTS: The State of Recycling Today &#; Recycling Trends + Beyond
The Guardian: Americans&#; Plastic Recycling is Dumped in Landfills, Investigation Shows
Not all plastics are created equal&#; and the same goes for recycled plastics. It&#;s important not to view &#;plastics&#; as a monolithic entity, as the term encompasses a wide range of materials, each with very different properties and uses.
A staggering seventy-five percent of plastics polluting the oceans first originated on land, found their way into waterways and were ultimately deposited into the oceans. While some of this pollution comes from deliberate littering, much originates via inadequate handling of post-consumer waste. According to UNESCO, about 100,000 marine mammals and one million seabirds are killed annually by plastics that end up in the ocean.
In the face of these environmental consequences, efforts to divert plastics from the waste stream to recycling and clarifying what can be easily recycled together are essential. To streamline this, The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. (SPI) introduced a coding system for resins in at the request of recyclers. These codes are used for classifying plastics into groups that can be recycled together.
At Oceanworks, we don&#;t play favorites&#; any plastic that can be recycled and diverted from the waste stream or our natural environment is worth our attention. But the products most commonly recycled&#;which also pose the biggest threat to our oceans, beaches, and waterways&#;are the ones we worry about most.
Despite the fact that so many plastics have the potential to be recycled, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, only 8.7% of the 35 million tons of plastic waste were recycled in .
PETE (Recycling Code 1)
PETE (or PET) stands for Polyethylene Terephthalate and was first synthesized by scientists at Dupont Chemical in the s. Since then, it has become an extremely common plastic used for soda bottles, water bottles, and other types of food packaging. Its transparency makes it a lightweight, durable substitute to replace glass and is highly desirable for these purposes.
PET is very easy to recycle and is usually reused for bottles or polyester fibers. According to PETRA, the PET Resin Association, approximately 31% of PET in the United States is recycled, compared with a more robust 52% recycling rate in Europe. It can be easily recycled and is the most recycled plastic globally today, but the demand for recycled PET still isn&#;t being met by existing recovery processes.
HDPE (Recycling Code 2)
HDPE stands for High-Density Polyethylene. The plastic is used most often for packaging; including but not limited to milk bottles, laundry detergent, hair care products, and cleaning supplies. It is harder and more resistant to physical and chemical damage than many other plastics. As a result, it can withstand extreme temperatures and contain a variety of chemical agents without fear of degradation.
When recycled, HDPE is typically reused for nonfood containers and crates. HDPE&#;s light weight, strength, and moisture barrier functionality make it ideal for products that must travel long distances to reach consumers. HDPE helps ensure those products arrive in good shape and with a lower transportation cost.
HDPE is 100% recyclable, typically done via a process of shredding, melting, and subsequent pelletization. As a result, HDPE&#;s recovery rate is second only to that of PET and commonly accepted at most recycling centers globally.
PVC or V (Recycling Code 3)
Polyvinyl Chloride uses the codes PVC or simply V. PVC is a hardy, strong, and diverse plastic that can be either rigid or elastic and is found in clear, white, and colored versions.
PVC is frequently found in building materials such as pipes, fittings, siding, and hoses due to its strength and durability in all types of weather conditions. It&#;s also suitable for cleaning and personal care product bottles due to its durability and lack of interaction with the chemicals commonly found in these products. PVC is also used for medical equipment, food packaging, and wire conduits.
Its manufacturing process can release dangerous chemicals and the chlorine in PVC is released when incinerated, creating dioxin, a heavy-duty environmental pollutant. This makes it doubly important to properly handle PVC waste and divert it into the recycling stream to avoid additional environmental pollution.
Unfortunately, PVC is not commonly recycled. When it does find a second life, it&#;s frequently used for similar applications as the virgin variety, such as for pipes and fittings and paneling. More recently, many synthetic timber and decking companies have introduced deck building materials made from recycled PVC. Other uses for recycled PVC include automotive uses such as mud flaps and floor mats, drainage and other types of mats, speed bumps, and shoes.
LDPE/LLDPE (Recycling Code 4)
Low-Density Polyethylene is a thinner, more flexible plastic commonly used for wrapping and packaging, including bubble wrap. LDPE is FDA-approved for food contact, has high heat resilience, and is a good match for applications using heat sealing. Film LDPE is frequently excluded from curbside recycling programs, however, but can often be recycled at grocery stores.
Rigid LDPE is used for things like bottles, caps, containers, and lids. LDPE can be used to protect products from chemicals and moisture during shipping without adding much additional weight.
It can be recycled into similar film products like shipping envelopes or garbage can liners, but rigid LDPE can be recycled into more heavy-duty products as well.
Linear Low-Density Polyethylene is used as a film wrap for food, prized by companies in that industry for its ability to delay food spoilage due to its resistance to tearing and puncturing. 55% of it is used for single-use purposes.
However, when recycled it has desirable properties for other purposes, including outdoor and mechanical applications since it&#;s more flexible and less brittle than other plastics.
PP (Recycling Code 5)
Polypropylene (PP) is found in clothing and ropes as well as tubs and bottles. Its rigidity, high melting point, and resistance to many chemical solvents accounts for its wide variety of uses in consumer products, including toys, storage items, and cleaning supply containers. In addition to its rigidity and the ability to withstand heat, PP also prevents moisture transmission. These factors make PP ideal for food packaging, particularly when the food is packaged while hot or destined to be microwaved by the consumer.
PP can be recycled into fibers and pellets, however, it is one of the least recycled plastics, despite being in high demand. PP degrades more rapidly than other plastics (after 20-30 years), but the microplastics and additives released during the process pose significant environmental threats.
PS (Recycling Code 6)
The PS for recycling code 6 stands for polystyrene, a plastic typically used for rigid purposes where its brittle nature does not pose a problem or for foam products. Most consumers encounter polystyrene in disposable plasticware such as glasses and cutlery, takeout food containers, insulated coffee cups ,as well as egg cartons and meat trays.
Polystyrene is collected via some community recycling programs and, when recycled, can find new life as insulation, packing materials, office supplies and equipment, coat hangers, and building materials such as light switches and air conditioning vents. Demand for polystyrene has declined year over year, in part because of challenges with recycling and some local ordinances banning its use in food service.
Recycled polystyrene can find new life as egg cartons, electronics casings, license plate frames, rulers, architectural moldings, and packaging.
OTHER (Recycling Code 7)
Recycling Code 7 is a catch-all designation used for other types of recyclable plastics, including polyamide (nylon), polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, and thermoplastic elastomers. Because polycarbonate plastics contain Bisphenol A (BPA), there are significant concerns about that chemical leaching into food and drinks, which has caused it to fall out of favor for those applications.
Polycarbonate is easy to color and highly resistant to impact and used for shatter-resistant and bulletproof glass, as well as in consumer electronics. Although difficult to recycle, diverting this material from landfills and waterways is essential due to the many environmental impacts it has once it enters the waste stream. It does not degrade, and it releases many toxic elements into the environment over time, posing a major risk to sea life and the seafood humans eat.
Polycarbonate can be recycled, but it is typically through a chemical process versus traditional mechanical recycling.
Additionally, this #7 code is also&#;often confusingly&#;used on packaging that is compostable and made from biological-based polymers. Often compostable #7 plastics will also include &#;compostable&#; or &#;PLA&#; designations on the container to indicate that it is, indeed, compostable.
PA/Nylon
Polyamide (PA), commonly known as Nylon, is a class including several varieties, the most common being Nylon 6 and Nylon 6,6. Nylon is often categorized as an engineering plastic since its mechanical properties are superior to those of commodity plastics like the ones listed above. As such, Nylon is used for fishing nets, durable clothing, and can also be found in various applications within the automotive industry.
Nylon recycling requires significantly lower temperatures than most plastics, but it is prone to the release of contaminants. Therefore, the material must be thoroughly cleaned before it can be mechanically recycled. Though relatively uncommon, nylon recycling is increasing in popularity. Since fishing gear accounts for a significant portion of waterway plastic pollution, it&#;s important that nylon recycling be prioritized.
ABS
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene is a strong, rigid, and shiny plastic. It&#;s used in electronics, automobiles, planes, helmets, golf clubs, and suitcases. It&#;s also the plastic used in Legos.
ABS can be recycled and injection molded for new purposes. ABS can be reused several times through cyclical use, melting, and re-molding. Though much of the world&#;s ABS is not recycled, the process is simple enough that it could be done by individual consumers (with the right equipment).
TPEs
Thermoplastic elastomers are a group of plastics, the most popular of which is thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). TPU is sometimes called the bridge between rubbers and plastics. It is relatively hard but has just enough &#;give&#; that it can be used for applications that formerly relied on rubber. Compared to rubber, though, TPE offers the benefits of lower production costs and increased durability. It is a favorite for 3D printer applications and is commonly found in products like cell cases and sporting goods. Other TPEs offer more flexibility and smoother textures.
TPEs are recycled in one of two ways: mechanically or chemically. Mechanical processes include chopping or grinding down the virgin material so that it can be compression molded into a new product. Chemical recycling processes break the material down into its chemical constituents, which can then be used to create new raw materials, including new TPEs. Despite this, the recycling of TPEs is highly uncommon in most parts of the world.
Ready to see if there&#;s a market for your recycled ocean plastics or a nearby supplier of the certified recycled plastics you need for your manufacturing processes? Check out the Oceanworks Marketplace.