Reduce material and impact without losing protection

What does recycled polythene actually mean?

Recycled content comes in two broad forms. Post-consumer waste is material that has already been used and thrown away by the public, then collected and reprocessed. Post-industrial waste is offcuts and reject material captured inside a factory before it ever reaches a customer. Post-consumer is the harder of the two to process and the one that does most to divert waste.

We produce refuse sacks using post-consumer waste, and recycled content is available across much of the wider range. Because we extrude our own film, the recycled percentage is part of the specification we agree with you rather than a fixed product you either take or leave.

When is biodegradable the right choice, and when is it not?

Biodegradable film is designed to break down rather than persist. That is genuinely useful where packaging is likely to end up somewhere it cannot be collected and recycled. It is the wrong choice where the packaging would otherwise have gone into a working recycling stream, because biodegradable material can contaminate that stream rather than help it.

The honest answer is that it depends on what happens to the packaging after it leaves you. Tell us where it ends up and we will tell you which of the two makes sense. If neither does, we will say that too.

How does using less material work in practice?

Downgauging means specifying a thinner film that still does the job. It cuts material cost, weight and the volume of plastic entering the supply chain. It is not free: go too thin and you get failures, damaged goods and returns, which cost far more than the film saved.

The properties we can adjust are strength, elasticity, slip, stiffness, thickness and recycled content. Changing one usually means compensating with another, which is why this is a conversation about your product and your line rather than a number we can quote blind. Our guide to using less film walks through the trade-offs.

Frequently asked questions

Do you manufacture recycled polythene?

Yes. Many products across our range are available with recycled content, including refuse sacks produced from post-consumer waste. Because we extrude the film ourselves, the recycled content is a specification you choose rather than a fixed product line.

Do you offer biodegradable polythene?

Yes, we manufacture biodegradable bags and film. Biodegradable and recycled are not the same choice, and they suit different jobs, so it is worth talking through what happens to the packaging at end of life before specifying either.

Is recycled polythene weaker than virgin polythene?

Recycled content changes how a film behaves, and how much depends on the grade and the blend. Rather than treating that as a fixed trade-off, we tune the specification around it, adjusting gauge and blend so the finished product still does its job on your line.

Can using less material actually save money?

Often, yes. Reducing gauge cuts material cost and weight, and lighter packaging can reduce transport cost too. It only works where the thinner film still protects the product, so it is a specification exercise rather than a blanket rule.

See recycled polythene products, biodegradable products, or tell us what you are packaging and we will recommend a specification.