Are there any simple and effective solutions to be as sustainable as possible during an interior remodeling or decorating job?
When it's impossible to reuse pre-existing materials, it is certainly a great design decision to use recycled or easily recyclable materials.
Let's have a look at five examples of construction or interior design materials made by processing plastic waste.
Le Pavé®
Le Pavé® is a material distributed in the form of slabs created through recycling plastic waste. With 1 ton of plastic waste from landfills, the creation of this material avoids 1500 kg of CO2 per 100 square meters of eco-construction, compared to the equivalent use of virgin HDPE.
The created material comes with wood-like properties. It can be drilled, cutter, and sanded, but at the same time, also thermoformed. It is usually distributed in slabs with dimensions of 1400x900mm and has different thicknesses, ranging from 8 to 19 mm. Other sizes can also be commissioned to fit larger dimensions but will be completed with a wooden backing for support.
Plasticiet®
Plasticiet® is another material distributed in the form of slabs, whose production method creates plenty of variation in terms of possible application. In addition to being made from recycled material, it can be fully re-recycled into new sheet material at the end of its life. Specifically, the waste materials most commonly used to create this material are discarded food containers, old chocolate molds, or post-production scraps.
The slabs are provided under six different aesthetic types, but these are never perfectly replicated with each other. Dimension talking, they are sized 800x800mm with a thickness between 7 and 10mm, with a tolerance of 1mm +/-. It is possible to request the production of extra thicknesses depending on the need for customization. Upon delivery, the slabs will have rough edges and slightly larger sizes, so it will be necessary to cut them out to size before continuing with their processing.
Polygood
Polygood is a range of 100% recycled and recyclable plastic panels that can have different applications in interior and exterior design. The raw materials used to create this material focus come from post-consumer and post-industrial plastic waste sources, such as single-use cutlery, packaging, household electronics, and ocean plastic.
The panels produced turn out to be the largest size on the market, using a standard of 2800x1400mm, and customizable thicknesses can be requested, up to a maximum weight of 100kg.
Aesthetically, although it is impossible to have perfectly replicated patterns, they come in three different collections - Classic, Basics, and Premium. It is also possible to request a custom pattern, as present in the Bespoke line, which features some examples of previously made designs.
Smile Plastics
Smile Plastics has a long history dating back to the early 1990s. Although the company faced a period of downtime, it came back into the market with a new solution based on developing a circular economy material that would meet the needs of the planet and the current demand. Since then, they have been creating new technologies and industrial ecosystems, evolving their design accordingly.
As a result, the final material created turns out to be both 100 percent recycled and recyclable, as it is possible to reprocess the consumed material to create new material again and again.
Slabs come in a wide variety of sizes and thicknesses. Panel sizes range from 3000x1200mm to 500x500mm, with two other sizes in between. Thickness, on the other hand, varies between 5mm, 12mm, and 20mm, and can vary in some sizes by 2mm per meter in case of thermal expansion over a 10-degree Celsius range. It is also possible to request planks in sizes 1000x200mm or 2000x200mm.
Durat
Durat is the last material presented today made by recycling industrial and post-industrial plastics. The company focused on creating a completely circular economy by not only creating but also repurchasing, refurbishing, and selling used Durat products. With this circularity, it is possible to significantly lengthen the life span of the single slab, and the 100% reuse of the materials produced.
The final material produced varies in size and thickness according to need. Indeed, it has no standard measurement provided, but it is produced only upon specific request. In terms of workability, its technical characteristics make it the same properties as wood, but it can also be thermoformed to create curved surfaces up to a radius of 700mm. If necessary, it's possible to use the Durat adhesive, designed specifically for usage with this material. Customized slabs can also be created with seamless surfaces, where the top has a 12-18mm-thick plywood or pdf backing. As for coloring, it is possible in over 200 variety of colors, including a wide range of RAL Classic colors, but customization to order is also possible.
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As a sustainable interior design studio count on us plan sustainable properties!
The choice of materials is an important step. The option for natural and local materials, in addition to being sustainable, helps to reflect the local nature in its environment. We are here to help to develop a custom solutions for you.
