Recycle. Renew. Reuse. These are the three R’s of sustainability and it might surprise you to learn that this environmental mantra dates back to the early 1970s. The first Earth Day was held in April, 1970, and it was around this time that this phrase first was uttered. Here at Indepak, we work with one of the world’s most easily recyclable materials – thermoform plastics. Once it’s recycled, companies around the world can transform this used material into the following products.
1. New Packaging
Many of our clients ask us to make their packaging using recycled plastics, and this is often an excellent option. Post-consumer and pre-consumer plastics can be recycled to make many different types of packaging as well as thermoform trays.
2. Playground Equipment
In the past, playground equipment was crated out of metal and wood, which could rust and warp. Using recycled plastics, such as detergent containers or milk bottles, these materials can be transformed into slides, playhouses and much more.
3. Clothing
Did you know that just about one dozen plastic water bottles can be transformed into enough plastic fiber to make a t-shirt? If you think plastic clothing sounds odd, consider fabrics such as Nylon, Dacron and Spandex, all of which are synthetic fibers.
4. Furniture
Plastic lawn furniture, park benches, picnic tables and other pieces of furniture can be created using recycled thermoform plastic. In fact, there are several companies that specialize in creating attractive outdoor furniture from thermoform plastics such as HDPE milk jugs. Unlike wood, which can splinter and warp, and metal, which can rust, these plastic furnishings have a far longer life.
5. Tote Bags
There are several companies out there that transform plastic grocery bags and plastic bottles into cute re-usable totes and lunch bags.
6. Purses & Wallets
In addition to basic totes, several companies also create stylish purses and wallets using recycled thermoform plastic, such as plastic grocery bags.
7. Pens
If you head to an office supply store, you are sure to notice that some of the pens that you can buy are made out of recycled plastic bottles.
8. Sports Uniforms
Nike, which produces the uniforms for the United States’ national soccer team, created these uniforms using fibers from recycled plastic bottles. According to Nike, using these bottles has ensured that more than three million bottles were reused rather than ending up in landfills.
9. Toys
There are a few companies out there that are now producing toys using recycled milk jugs and other types of thermoform plastics.
10. Buckets
Several types of plastic can be recycled and then used to make all types and sizes of buckets, for holding paint, water and whatever else you might need to carry.
11. Carpeting
Many brands of carpet are created using plastic fibers, and there are some companies out there that are now using recycled thermoform plastic to create these fibers for both carpet and rugs.
12. Sleeping Bag Insulation
If you’ve ever camped out in cold weather, but stayed toasty warm in your sleeping bag, you may have thermoform plastic to thank for that good night’s sleep. While using synthetics to make sleeping bags is very common, several companies are now making sleeping bags with insulation made from recycled plastic.
13. Doormats
If you search for recycled doormats, you will find a variety of highly attractive mats that anyone would be happy to place at their front door to welcome guests. These mats are made from everything from old flip flops to plastic bottles.
14. Crafts
If you do a quick internet search, you can find hundreds of clever craft projects that help consumers reuse their thermoform plastics. We’ve seen everything from lamps to planters to bird feeders and much more.
These are just a few of the products that can be created using recycled thermoform plastics. If you do need thermoform plastic packaging, give us a call today. We have many sustainable options that might fit your needs and budget.
